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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27621404">Bloodfire</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyNightingGaleofMilvania/pseuds/LadyNightingGaleofMilvania'>LadyNightingGaleofMilvania</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy XV</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>... yet, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Apartment break-ins, Ask me about my vegan/vegetarian vampires, Assault, Astrid Plays with her Food, Attempted Changing, Back to work Ignis goes, Beating, Being Shoved in Trunks, Being Tossed in a Jail Cell, Being tied up, Blindfolded Car Rides, Blood drinking/feeding, Blow Jobs, Blowjobs, Bound, Broken Bones, Brought to You by Yzma, Chloroform, Concussions, Dancing, Disgruntled customers, Dubious Consent - Blood Consumption, Dubious Consent - Blood Feeding, Escape Time, Faux Dinner Dates, First Dates, Forced Feedings (Receiving), Gossip, Hi-ho hi-ho, Hope Ignis isn’t claustrophobic, Hospitalization, Hospitals, IHOP, Ignis Hurts So Much, Ignis doesn’t know vampire slang, Ignis has an odd concept of “light reading”, Ignis is prepared with SUITS, Ignis likes coffee and men, Ignis went viral, Insomnia’s House of Pancakes, Interrogation, Kidnapping, Kissing, Let’s Soothe that Pain, M/M, Major Character Injury, Making Out, Man I put Ignis through the ringer, Mentioned Shower Sex, Non-con/Dub-con for unwilling blood feeding/consumption, Nonconsensual Blood Consumption, Nonconsensual sensory deprivation, Nyx and Crowe are baristas, Nyx is a worried boyfriend, Nyx is such a good boyfriend guys, Or well…, PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Proposals, Putting Boxes within Boxes, Questioning, Racial slurs, Racism, Read the tags!, Recovery Time, Rescue, Rescue Finally Arrives, Sex, Shiva’s Frosty Tits, Sleep Deprivation, Sorry I know there’s a lot, Sorry Not Sorry, Sparring, Stabbing, Starvation, Sure is a lot of coffee in this fic, TRIGGER WARNING - Chapters 9 through 13, TRIGGER WARNING- Chapter 7, The best part of waking up, Torture - Mental, Torture - Physical, Treating With Proper Medication, Vampire!Nyx, Vampires, When spiking doesn’t mean what you think it means, Workplace Lockdown, Workplace Sex, Wow that was a lot of Ouch, anxiety/panic attacks, blindfolding, board meetings, breaking fingers, did somebody order Angst?, emotional breakdowns, getting caught, happy endings, he just wants to go home, in this house we stan, is Ebony in your cup, kabedon, locked in a room, no not that one, open endings, same thing, shall we?, the boys go home, what can i say</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 05:01:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>31,038</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27621404</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyNightingGaleofMilvania/pseuds/LadyNightingGaleofMilvania</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Vampires and humans finally were integrating in the large city of Insomnia. Ignis, a Citadel employee, typically worked late nights which often demanded a steady supply of caffeine that allowed him to stay awake. In search of a new source of coffee, he visits a nearby twenty-four hour café where he meets barista Nyx. Before long the two fall in love and then Nyx reveals a big secret: He’s a vampire. Uncaring of race, Ignis accepts him, though that’s only where their relationship problems began.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ignis Scientia/Nyx Ulric</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>FFXV Rarepair Big Bang 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ignis had been typing away at his desk for hours. The new Integration bill had more paperwork to be filled out than usual, so that it could proceed smoothly, causing him to pull overtime hours to make sure that the bill would be passed on time. As he yawned, he realized that the words on the document in front of him were becoming blurry. He glanced at the clock on his wall to find that the hands were pointed to 9:57 and, since the sun had already set nearly two hours before, it was most certainly the early hours of night. He decided an additional break was more than deserved and stood, stretching his arms skyward, before loosening his tie and undoing one button near the collar.It was one thing Ignis liked doing to show he was on his break without having to speak.</p><p>As Ignis rode the elevator down, he thought about where he wanted to go. There weren’t as many places open as late as he liked, so he would have to make do. The weather outside was warm, as it usually was during summer nights, and Ignis took in a deep breath, filling his lungs with the fresh air. There was a local coffee shop that Noctis had recommended to him recently called <em> Expresso Espresso </em> and Ignis had meant to visit it  several weeks prior. He was shocked to find it only a little more than five minutes away from the Citadel gates. As he walked in, Ignis caught the last bit of the order that was ahead of him.</p><p>“Hey, can you spike that, man?” the customer at the counter asked.</p><p>The male barista shook his head. “Look, this is a BYOB operation. I can't spike the coffee due to sanitation reasons. If you want to do that you have to bring your own bag and I can leave room in the cup after it's made.”</p><p>The customer grumbled as he finished paying for his order.</p><p>“Next, please.”</p><p>“Do people ask you to put liquor in often?” Ignis asked out of curiosity once he put in his order, unable to help the upward quirk of his lips.</p><p>“Put liquor..? <em> Oh </em>, no no no. You misunderstood, sir; must be new to vampire slang,” the barista said, typing at the register, “he wanted blood in his coffee and we're not that kind of specialty shop, though the owner would probably get good business from the vampire populace that are immigrating in. That’ll be five Crown, please.”</p><p>Ignis’ eyes opened wide from surprise, his cheeks quickly turning red from his more than apparent naiveté. He paid quickly, pretty sure that the man was probably laughing at him, and stood at the other end of the café bar to wait for his order. Ignis couldn’t help but watch the barista from the corner of his eye, catching the name-tag after he set up the previous customer’s coffee.</p><p><em> Nyx, huh? </em> Ignis thought to himself, feeling the blush rise again to his cheeks at the thought of their embarrassing encounter from several minutes ago.</p><p>“Hey,” Nyx said, looking at the other man, “do you want me to leave room in the cup?”</p><p>“Just give me the coffee,” the customer bit out, the snarl exposing his fangs.</p><p>Ignis could’ve swore that Nyx’s face had fallen into a look of mild agitation, but it changed so fast that he couldn’t have been sure. With an overly large smile, Nyx popped the lid onto the cup, sliding on a sleeve before he placed it on the end counter.</p><p>“Here you go, sir!” Nyx said cheerfully.</p><p>The disgruntled man snatched the coffee, looking down at it before swirling the cup around for a moment. His eyes flashed with rage.</p><p>“You didn’t fill my cup!” he practically hissed. “You did this on purpose! I demand to see your manager!”</p><p>“I’ll get her for you right now, sir!” Nyx continued in that honey-sweet voice, quickly disappearing behind a door and reappearing a few moments later with a bronze-haired woman who took the angry customer aside to talk to.</p><p>Ignis took a step forward so that the man left his line of sight. It wasn’t that vampires made him nervous, per se, but it was more that he wasn’t used to seeing or interacting with <em> anyone </em> outside of the office. When Nyx called out his order, Ignis stepped forward to grab it as Nyx held the cup out to him.</p><p>“Sorry about that…”</p><p>“Ignis.”</p><p>“Ignis,” the barista said. His lips quirked into a flirty smile. “Well, Ignis, hopefully you’ll consider coming back despite that. Would hate to lose you as a customer.”</p><p>With that, he winked and Ignis felt <em> butterflies. </em> He took the cup with a clumsy “Thanks” and then made his way back to his office. Over the course of the next few weeks, Ignis would began to stop by the café more often. By the end of the second week, Nyx would already have his coffee ready before he even walked through the door, the barista handing him a steaming hot cup by the time he reached the counter.</p><p>Ignis smiled, paying for his coffee. “Do you memorize the order of <em> every </em> customer that comes in?” </p><p>“Only the cute ones,” Nyx replied with a wink. “Enjoy your coffee, Ignis.”</p><p>Ignis chuckled, taking a sip from the cup, and made his way to the door to continue his shift at the office. As he stepped into the elevator, he took another sip, looking at his coffee cup when he realized something had been written on the sleeve.</p><p>
  <em> Call Me Cutie </em>
</p><p>Below it was a phone number. Ignis made an embarrassing noise and a flush rose to his cheeks. The chances of his hand covering up the sleeve in just that spot had to be astronomical, and yet he had managed it. The elevator dinged and Ignis stepped off, making his way back to his office and setting the cup on his desk, staring at the phone number scribbled on it. Should he call? What time did Nyx even get off work? A better question was if Ignis <em> himself </em> would even be able to have time for a call, much less a date. He may need to pull another all-nighter due built-up paperwork from several other departments that needed filing, leading to him being buried under the mountain of forms and other papers. In the end, he pushed it to the back of his mind─or at least as far back as he could manage, since every time he took a sip of the dark roast he found himself staring at the phone number again.</p><p>At the early hour of three AM, Ignis decided that he should finish whatever was left in the morning. He stood, stretching as he let out a big yawn. He looked again at the cup, slipping the sleeve off and decidedly sticking it in his pocket before tossing it in the trash. He would figure out the answer to that question the next day when he’d had a chance to rest and think with a level head, rather than one that was sleep-addled after an overly long work shift.</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>The next morning, Ignis stared at the cup sleeve, having already had one can of Ebony and had nearly finished with his second. Today was an off day from the office, which easily translated to one of two days a week where he had intense training with Gladiolus on hand-to-hand combat and weapons training. As part of Noctis’ royal retinue, it was expected that Ignis be trained in the case of any emergency that should arise. Ignis took one last look at the cup sleeve on the table and sighed as he put it in a pocket of his gym bag, throwing it over his shoulder as he headed out the door. When he arrived at the training room, Gladio was already changed and ready, doing drills as Ignis came through the door.</p><p>“Heya, Iggy. Not like you to be late,” he called, swinging a practice sword.</p><p>“Apologies, I had worked until the early hours of the morning.”</p><p>Ignis jogged into the changing room, Gladio following him with his arms crossed. He asked, one eyebrow cocked, “Uh-huh. How late you talkin’?”</p><p>“I fail to see why that is relevant, Gladio.”</p><p>Why did he seem so keen to try and talk today? Ignis just wanted to clear his head and train. Especially if it meant that it was a distraction from his current crush-situation that he had never expected to be in so suddenly, if at all.</p><p>“Because you run yourself ragged,” Gladiolus replied. “You of all people should know that after a certain point, what you do causes more damage than good.”</p><p>“If you really insist,” Ignis huffed, tugging a plain grey t-shirt over his head, “I was unable to lay down until three-thirty this morning.”</p><p>“Ignis, that’s insane!” Gladio shouted, eyes wide. “You’re trying to train on less than four hours of sleep! Don’t bother changing. Today you are taking an actual break. I’m gonna treat you to breakfast.”</p><p>Ignis watched as Gladio walked out, jaw wide open in surprise. It wasn’t often that Gladio thrust his authority as Ignis’ trainer in his face. Ignis glanced, looking at his reflection in a nearby mirror showed the reasoning for Gladiolus’ insistence─large, dark bags hung below Ignis’ eyes and he was paler than normal. Unable to argue, Ignis took off his training shirt, throwing back on the cactuar-patterned button-up that Noctis had given him as a birthday gift the previous year. As he came back into the main room, Gladio was bouncing on the balls of his feet.</p><p>“So, Igs, where you wanna go? It’ll be my treat today, so pick wisely,” Gladio said with a toothy grin.</p><p>Nyx popped in his mind and Ignis blushed slightly, adjusting his glasses.</p><p>“What about that café nearby? It’s within walking distance and has pretty good food.”</p><p>Gladio shook out his arms, clapping. “Sounds good to me. Let’s go!”</p><p>As they walked out, Ignis felt those butterflies in his stomach begin fluttering, heart pounding as they approached the storefront. Would Nyx be there? Unlikely, since he had worked the night before, but Ignis was guilty of having done some opening shifts after closing the previous night. As he and Gladio stepped in the door, he actually saw him, Nyx… It was clear that he hadn’t expected to see Ignis, but his lips formed into a lazy smile all the same. He honestly looked as exhausted as Ignis felt, coffee spills showing clearly on his apron as he approached the register.</p><p>“If I had known you’d be here so early, I would’ve had your usual ready for you,” Nyx chuckled, looking at Gladio before straightening up. “Oh, on a date with your boyfriend?”</p><p>This made Gladio let out a loud snort as he said, “Nah, just a friend. He doesn’t know the definition of a <em> break, </em> so I thought I’d show him over breakfast.”</p><p>“Thank you for that wonderful explanation, Gladiolus,” Ignis said quickly, his cheeks turning a deep red. <em> Was that a look of relief that just crossed Nyx’s face? </em></p><p>“Gotcha. So what’ll it be?” Nyx asked, marker at the ready over a cup.</p><p>“I’ll have the usual,” Ignis said, watching as Nyx scrawled his order on the cup. “Surprise me with the sandwich. I need to actually try them instead of listening to you talk about them.”</p><p>“Hey Crowe,” Nyx called, continuing when a woman popped her head out from a swinging door, “can you finish pulling those sandwiches real quick? Or at least toss one of my faves at me?”</p><p>All it took was one glance at Ignis before the woman smirked, grin wide and revealing a pair of fangs, “Mmm-hmmm. Hey is that your─”</p><p>“Thanks, Crowe!” Nyx said, quickly setting the cup down hard enough that it made a loud <em> CLACK </em> against the counter.</p><p>Gladio ordered his own coffee and pastry before Nyx rattled off the total, Gladio paying as Ignis strolled over to the other end of the counter. Gladio was going to be the death of him if he was going to do nothing but be as embarrassing as that. Suddenly, a muscular arm draped across his shoulders.</p><p>“So. You’re a regular here, huh?” Gladio asked, his grin stretching from ear to ear.</p><p>“Seeing as it’s nearby, yes. I frequent this establishment when I work late at night,” Ignis admitted, watching as the woman─Crowe was what Nyx had called her, right?─tossed a sandwich at Nyx, laughing as he caught it with one hand.</p><p>“Gladio,” Ignis began, shifting his weight as he withdrew the arm from around him, “there’s actually something I need to talk to you about when we take a table.”</p><p>“Sure thing, Iggy. No problem.”</p><p>By the time they had gotten their food and drinks, Ignis had gotten a chance to calm down… that was until he explained the situation to Gladio, who let out a huge guffaw as he held the cup sleeve with Nyx’s phone number.</p><p>“Bold! I like it!” he laughed. “You call him yet?”</p><p>Ignis’ renewed blush spoke for itself.</p><p>“You can’t keep him hangin’ forever, Iggy. Hell, I bet he smells like coffee beans all day, which I <em> know </em>has to be a bonus for you.”</p><p>“I just…” Ignis took the sleeve back, twirling it in his hand. “What if he says no?”</p><p>“If he wrote his number on there, I doubt he’s gonna say <em> no </em>,” Gladio snorted.</p><p>With itching fingers, Ignis took out his phone, typing out a quick text once he put Nyx’s number in the receiving spot. It was a short message asking to see if he’d want to spend the next Thursday afternoon with him. His thumb hovered over the send button, a lump forming in his throat that was difficult to swallow around. Squeezing his eyes shut he hit <em> SEND </em>, listening to a jingle suddenly sound on the other end of the coffee shop.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A knock at the door made Ignis jump. He hadn’t been on a date in years and the thought of today’s date made him nervous─he had even been pacing around his apartment for the last hour in anticipation. When he loosened his shirt collar a bit, he opened the door. Nyx was standing there twirling a single rose in his hand. He wore a pair of tight jeans and a black short-sleeve button-up, the aroma of roasted coffee wafting from him. A small, nervous smile caused his lips to curl upward as he offered up the rose.</p><p>“I uhhh, got this for you. Do you think we could talk for a minute before we head out? There’s something I need to tell you,” Nyx asked, looking over Ignis’ shoulder to the small loveseat situated in the living room.</p><p>“Please, come in,” Ignis replied with a nod, standing aside so that Nyx could step in before shutting the door.</p><p>This was it, Nyx was going to say there had been a mistake, that he should’ve never written his number on the cup and that they were going to go their separate ways.</p><p>“Sorry for not telling you sooner, but I just like saying this in person,” Nyx apologized, setting the flower on a nearby surface before turning back to Ignis.</p><p>“Is there something wrong?”</p><p>“Since you’ve only ever seen me at the shop you might not have noticed,” Nyx began, taking a deep breath before turning around with a grin that revealed a set of perfect teeth… that just so happened to come complete with a pair of fangs, as well. “I’m a vampire, and I know that’s a turn-off to a lot of people here. I just… didn’t want to lead you on.”</p><p>Ignis felt almost light-headed with relief. A vampire, that was all? It was certainly unexpected, but not something that Ignis cared about in the least.</p><p>“I don’t see why that should be a problem,” Ignis admitted with a small smile of his own, causing Nyx’s smile to grow bigger.</p><p>“Well, if that’s not a problem, then I guess let’s head on out.” Nyx sighed in relief. “Would you like some late dinner? I know this perfect place downtown.”</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>Ignis stepped into the foreign restaurant, unable to understand what was being said. When he looked down to the menu, he realized that he couldn’t read it, all of the words consisting of not only a foreign tongue, but even a foreign script. He could tell the language since he had minimal experience with the Galahdian tongue, but it did him no good here. The ambience of the area was warm, however. There was a band playing just outside, a group of people gathered into the small space to dance, sounds of laughter drifting onto the small patio he and Nyx sat on.</p><p>“Anything you like? I can read off the menu to you,” Nyx offered once their drinks had arrived. “This place might not be good at speaking the language here in Insomnia, but their food is as close to Galahd’s that you’ll ever get─plus, they’re one of the few places that actually have vegan options for me.”</p><p>He picked up a glass of thin, red liquid that was obviously wine and took a sip. Ignis could appreciate bringing him to a place like this, even if there was the language barrier. In the weeks that they chatted casually, Nyx had mentioned this small restaurant and Ignis had said he’d love to visit it, so being here wasn’t the biggest surprise. Ignis took another look at the menu, focusing on the pictures this time. There were a few that showed recognizable chickatrice and rice. In the end, he chose one of each and the young waitress smiled, taking their menus and saying she’d be back with them soon, according to Nyx.</p><p>“Honestly I didn’t think you’d send me that text,” Nyx admitted once she had left, swirling the wine absently. “A guy like you? <em> Way </em> out of my league, if I’m being honest.”</p><p>“Well, remembering my order certainly gave you a foothold.” Ignis couldn’t help but chuckle, earning a snort from Nyx in response.</p><p>A new song played in the now-open floor near the live band as people dispersed to resume their typical day-to-day lives, some even coming back to the restaurant to sit at tables so they could eat their freshly-served meals. A lightbulb seemed to go off in Nyx’s head as he stood swiftly and made his way to the group, whispering in the ear of a guitar player who nodded and spoke to the rest of the band. Nyx came back and offered a hand.</p><p>“May I ask for this dance?” he asked as a rich tune filled the air, seeming to have a magic that made Ignis need to move.</p><p>When he slid his hand into Nyx’s, he was whisked away, one hand placed on his shoulder while the other lay still in his palm. Nyx mouthed the words <em> Trust me </em> before moving quickly, Ignis trying his best to keep up. The tempo was sultry, lighting a fire in his veins and demanding he move in sync as the two spun and whirled in a frenzy, bodies pressed close until Nyx spun him out. Ignis twirled back, Nyx’s body pressed close behind as he whispered in his ear, “Kick your leg.”</p><p>Ignis followed without thought, the music and dance having become a part of his body that he didn’t question. The kick felt right, natural, and Nyx caught it by the ankle hand sliding down to the knee and, without thinking, Ignis twisted his body, using the momentum to kick up his other leg and hook it around the arm that was already holding him partially up so that Nyx was carrying him, the two locking eyes, faces so close that they shared breaths. The world seemed to melt away as the two gradually moved closer so that their lips were barely an inch apart… Suddenly, applause erupted around them and Ignis blushed, Nyx having his own light dusting of pink as he set Ignis down. The two bowed to the crowd that had gathered while they were in the midst of their dancing and made their way back inside, sitting back down at their table.</p><p>“I never knew I could dance like that,” Ignis admitted after several moments of silence.</p><p>“You’re a natural, unlike me,” Nyx said, smiling. He sipped at his wine as Ignis’ chickatrice came out, Ignis’ mouth watering at the smell. “I was terrible until Marissia. She…”</p><p>Nyx stopped both his words and the swirling of the liquid in his glass, peering into the depths silently as though he were lost in a memory. A sad smile crept on his lips and Ignis reached out a tentative hand, laying it on Nyx’s arm.</p><p>“I bet she was a wonderful teacher,” Ignis said softly, watching him.</p><p>“She really was,” Nyx admitted, looking up at Ignis, eyes glassy with held back tears. “I don’t wanna ruin this date with a sad story. Let’s enjoy the time we have left, yeah?”</p><p>Ignis nodded, wanting to withdraw his hand, but couldn’t help enjoying the warmth at the contact. He didn’t want to let go, savoring the contact even though the scent of his dinner was just as tempting. In the end he finally released his gentle hold, finally taking a bite of his chicken. The flavors were delicious. The two ate in relative silence, occasionally sharing trivial things like favorite colors or seasons, Ignis unable to get enough of the food as Nyx sipped at his glass of wine. By the time they finished, the sun had set and they slipped into the car beneath the glow of streetlights.</p><p>“Coffee?” Nyx asked with a lopsided grin, shifting the car into drive at Ignis’ nod.</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>“Look at you!” Crowe snorted as the two walked into the café, “couple of lovebirds already, huh?”</p><p>Nyx rolled his eyes and Ignis blushed deeply, suddenly very aware of where he rested his arm around Nyx’s own.</p><p>“Crowe, I already told you, I owe you big time─” Nyx started before Crowe let out a barking laugh.</p><p>“Hell yeah you do, I had to pull a double thanks to your ass,” she replied quickly with an evil smile, “so what can I get for you and your date, lover boy?”</p><p>Ignis quickly orders a coffee, Nyx ordering his own black and strong. Ignis found out while they waited that Crowe and Nyx lived together, the vampire populace still facing racial issues when it came to jobs or lodging, forcing most to share apartments together in the rougher parts of the city and commuting to their jobs. When they could find them, that was.</p><p>“What do you mean vampires are still experiencing discrimination?” Ignis asked, surprised.</p><p><em> “Please </em> don’t tell me you expected everyone to just be instantly fine with people like us, just because the king signed some fancy paper?” Crowe asked flatly, staring at Ignis as she pulled down the lever for the frother.</p><p>“Of course not, but we can’t do anything if things aren’t reported,” Ignis replied honestly, looking between her and Nyx. “Why hasn’t anyone said anything to the authorities?”</p><p>Almost immediately Crowe snorted, however Nyx replied before she could make another sound.</p><p>“Well… some have.”</p><p>“But?” Ignis knew Nyx had left something out.</p><p>“The civilian police either brush it off, or they say they’ll do something but then never do,” Nyx said, shrugging sadly with the resigned acceptance of those who had no power to change their situation.</p><p>“Not to mention not too long after, there’s another homeless vampire murdered in the streets that’ll never be reported,” Crowe tacked on as she shuffled cups, setting two up on the counter. “It’s not like we can do anything about it. Don’t worry about it and enjoy your coffee.”</p><p>Ignis shook his head firmly. “I don’t think you realize exactly who I am.”</p><p>Nyx raised a brow and Crowe crossed her arms as Ignis dug around in his pocket and pulled out an ID that showed his position and employee number, as well as a picture and training-certified marking on the back.</p><p>“I will make sure this ends,” Ignis told them, sticking the ID quickly back in his pocket and taking a sip of his coffee.</p><p>“Well damn, Hero,” Crowe whistled. “You sure as hell know how to pick ‘em, huh?”</p><p>“What can I say, my charm is irresistible,” Nyx replied as he winked, taking a sip of his own coffee.</p><p>Ignis snorted and rolled his eyes with a smirk.</p><p>“I’ll see you in the morning, Crowe,” Nyx said in farewell as he checked his watch, realizing that it was already nearing midnight. “Let me drive you home, Ignis. I’d hate to be the reason you’re late to work tomorrow since you said something the other day about pulling doubles.”</p><p>When Ignis and Nyx finally stood in front of his door, he couldn’t help but smile shyly. It had been a long time since he’d been on a date, let alone one where he’d felt as good as he did by the end. Butterflies fluttered in his stomach and his heart was trying to leap from his throat as he unlocked his door, turning to Nyx as he removed the key.</p><p>“So,” Ignis began, anxiety pulsing through him as he gathered the courage to continue, “Would you like to do this again sometime?”</p><p>Astrals that was a stupid way to ask someone for another date. What was he, an idiot? Out of all the things─</p><p>“Yeah, I think I’d like that.” Nyx nodded, a grin splitting his own face.</p><p>They stood awkwardly for a moment before Ignis took a quick step forward, pressing their lips together. Nyx froze for a second before melting into the kiss, hand flying to cup Ignis’ cheek. Several moments later they split apart.</p><p>“You kiss every guy on the first date?” Nyx asked with a chuckle, hand still against Ignis’ cheek as he looked into the other man’s eyes.</p><p>“Only the cute ones,” Ignis laughed back, opening the front door behind him and taking a step toward it. “Good night, Nyx.”</p><p>“Night, Ignis.”</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>Ignis awoke the next morning to his alarm going off, sliding the button on his phone before noticing the words that stood against the screen.</p><p>
  <b> <em>TEXT MESSAGE FROM Amicitia AT 05:02</em> </b>
</p><p><em> Amicitia [05:02]: </em> Iggy when the hell did you start dancing</p><p><em> Ignis [06:05]: </em> What do you mean?</p><p>Once Ignis sent the text, he stretched and made his way to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. By the time the coffee machine had finished brewing and he had managed to pull on the day’s clothes, Gladiolus had replied with a message containing a link to EosTube. The video had obviously been taken on someone's cell phone, but the two people it focused on were clear: Ignis and Nyx, whirling like they had been performing for years.</p><p><em> Ignis [06:15]: </em> I didn't realize I had been recorded!</p><p><em> Amicitia [06:23]: </em> Well then dont look at the papers because its caught like fire see you at the office for lunch lover boy</p><p>Ignis stared at the message, his heart pounding in his chest. He had managed to keep out of the Daily Insomnia and the gossip magazines that line the racks at stores, but after hearing about his current predicament, Ignis felt like that was about to change.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been at least a month since that first date with Nyx. He had passed a background check and was cleared to date, although that was more about the professional side. Technically, they could have gone through with becoming “official” without waiting for all the paperwork, but due to Ignis’ close ties to the Crown, it had been more than expected for him to proceed through the proper channels. Ignis was grateful that Nyx had been patient through every step. Leading up to why he was sitting in the council meeting room, several different binders and folders open before him with reports of varying topics contained in them, though they each had a recurring theme: Vampires.</p><p>Since that first date, Ignis had been determined to bring forth enough cases of misconduct by civilian police against the vampire population that inhabited Insomnia. It had been expected that there wouldn’t be a complete agreement amongst the people that resided in the city, but it certainly hadn’t been predicted that it would happen on such a scale. There weren’t enough Glaive forces to deploy onto the streets for around-the-clock monitoring and, as though to make matters worse, there had apparently been enough gaps in the reports that were required to be submitted by the police forces that most cases containing vampires slipped through the cracks.</p><p>“This is an unacceptable fate that has befallen our city,” Ignis said, hands planted firmly on the table in front of him as he looked at each council member in the eye. “Each day we sit in here deliberating if this is worth our time to even entertain, there are more vampires being denied their rights, despite it now being a matter of law.”</p><p>A middle-aged woman sighed, hand against her temple as she leaned her head into it from boredom. “As I recall, it has been reported that you are dating one of these <em> nightwalkers </em>,” she drawled. “Are you sure that this isn’t a more personal issue for you? The police reports that make it to our records are the ones that were important enough to pursue, while the others were dismissed as non-threatening or even false reports.”</p><p>Ignis breathed sharply through his nose in an attempt to calm himself. He had been loath to think that any of the council could be amongst those who were against the integration of vampires, but the vote had certainly not been unanimous.</p><p>“I think the fact that you are mixing with the nightlife of the city is clouding your judgment, Mr. Scientia,” declared a man closer to Ignis in age, tapping the table with his first two fingers. “I agree that this seems to be a conflict of interest for you and motion to dismiss this as a non-issue.”</p><p>Most of the room lifted their hands, at least half looking tired enough that they were doing so just to end the overlong meeting. With that, Ignis had been dismissed to go back to his office and continue his workday─which had been postponed until after his requested meeting had been adjourned. As he gathered his many pieces of meticulously researched paperwork, a hand settled on his shoulder. When Ignis looked up he saw Regis’ face.</p><p>“I’ll look into this personally, Council be damned,” Regis assured, motioning to Clarus to come forward to help him take the binders and folders from Ignis so he could go over them in more detail at another time.</p><p>“Thank you, Majesty,” Ignis said gratefully as he passed over the information, a weight lifted from his chest.</p><p>“Of course,” Regis replied with a smile. “Oh, and Ignis?”<br/>“Majesty?”</p><p>“Regis will do, you’re practically family, after all.”</p><p>Ignis nodded, retreating back to his office. He had been hoping to visit Nyx after work with good news, not having to say that he had been dismissed out of hand, even after multiple sleepless nights full of research about Insomnia’s internal prejudice. Ignis suspected that his case had been purposefully pushed to the bottom of the day’s docket in an attempt to be looked over. Time flew by as Ignis typed away at his computer in frustration, only getting up to grab a quick bite of food from the minifridge in his office. Nyx had made a few sandwiches─which mildly surprised Ignis since Nyx couldn’t eat normal food─for him to hide away so that he would actually eat while in the office after it had become apparent that Ignis was very guilty of skipping meals to make deadlines.</p><p>When he looked up at the clock to see that it was past midnight, he decided to throw in the towel, though he stayed sitting at his desk, even after the screen of his computer had gone dark. The frustration from the meeting bubbled up inside of him again and he felt tears form. It had been embarrassing to be accused of the situation he had presented as a conflict of interest. Even though it was indeed a personal request, he had put it in with reasons far from personal. Everyone’s eyes had been shielded from what had actually been happening on the city streets and that was an issue of the utmost importance, even if Ignis himself was told he would be barred from presiding over the investigation. He felt hot tears spill from his eyes as he let out a sharp breath through his nose. Standing up so quickly that his chair toppled over, he quickly grabbed his coat. Ignis sighed as he picked up the chair and set it back, regretting that he hadn’t brought his umbrella when he saw rain drizzling down outside.</p><p>During the drive home, hair thoroughly soaked because of the rain that had turned into a downpour moments after he left the building, he debated about driving to Nyx’s house instead. He couldn’t bear the thought about telling Nyx the news over the phone, but it would take an additional thirty minutes to get to the edges of the city from where he lived near the Citadel. The screen on his phone glowed, displaying Nyx’s face. Ignis sighed, decision made as he turned toward the highway.</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>Ignis put the car in park and leaned his head back, closing his eyes for a moment before taking off his seatbelt and opening the door. The rain was now coming down in sheets and he was thoroughly soaked and shivering as he knocked on the door. When the door opened he saw Crowe, a hoop in her nose now that she was outside of work and ears dangling with the multiple metal pieces that the café preferred she not adorn her face with on the clock.</p><p>“Look we’re not interested in─Oh my gods, Ignis, get inside! You’re dripping!” Crowe gasped, pulling him in as she shouted behind herself, “Nyx get the shower running or your boy-toy is gonna freeze to death!”</p><p>There is the sound of rapid footsteps followed by water running as Crowe shut the door behind them. “You want some uhhh,” Crowe looked in the kitchen, thorough confusion on her face, “what is it you humans eat that’s hot? Coffee? That’s right, you have hot coffee sometimes at the shop!”</p><p>Her panic was somewhat endearing as she scrambled to start a pot in the kitchen while Nyx appeared in the small living room with a towel and a change of clothes, guiding Ignis down the cramped hall and into an even more cramped bathroom.</p><p>“Sorry, it’s not really big, but we’ve found that the best thing for warming up after rain is a hot shower, so… make yourself at home?” Nyx rambled, placing the towel and clothes on the sink corner.</p><p>With that, Ignis was left alone in the bathroom to strip off his rain-sodden clothes and step into the warm water. Eventually, once his shivering had ceased, Ignis turned off the water and dried off, putting on what must have been a spare set of Nyx’s clothes: pajama bottoms with an elastic waistband and a faded black shirt. The scent of coffee hit his nose as he opened the door, still toweling off his hair as he padded toward the kitchen where Nyx had three mismatched mugs out to fill.</p><p>“Hey Igs, let me just pour you a cup, it just finished brewing,” Nyx said without looking at Ignis as he filled each mug.</p><p>Ignis took the one offered to him before he sat down on the loveseat, Crowe leaning against a wall by the lone window in the room as the TV droned on with some sort of silly reality show. He could feel tears begin to prick at the edges of his vision, frustrated that he, again, felt the urge to cry and willfully pushed past it, opting to take a long sip of his coffee. The three sat─or, in Crowe’s case, stood─in the living room surrounded by the relative silence until Nyx finally broke it.</p><p>“The meeting didn’t go well, did it?” he asked softly.</p><p>“They voted that I had a conflict of interest and pushed the matter off as unimportant,” Ignis bit out, gripping his coffee cup tightly.</p><p>“We didn’t really expect it to go any different,” Crowe admitted after a sip from her own mug. “It’s how it’s been since that law passed. Heck, I was here <em> before </em> the law and it was pretty much the same.”</p><p>“Nobody expected to live beyond the slums, Ignis,” Nyx added. “We get the bottom-rung jobs too. Sanitation work was what Crowe did before I got her into where I work.”</p><p>“The pay was shit there.” Crowe shrugged, downing the last of her coffee. “Smelled like a behemoth’s ass, too. Anyway, I gotta get to bed so that I can head to work later, don’t do anything crazy.”</p><p>Crowe set her cup in the sink and walked down the hallway, shutting one of the doors with a soft <em> click </em>. Ignis and Nyx both sat with their coffees, the room silent besides the TV once again.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Ignis whispered, staring into his cup to see his miserable reflection warped in the liquid.</p><p>“Hey, you tried,” Nyx replied, setting down his mug and scooting closer to Ignis before wrapping his arms around the other man, “and it was more than I could’ve hoped for.”</p><p>Despite the coffee, Ignis could feel the exhaustion finally begin to tug at him, leaning against Nyx’s surprisingly warm body while he yawned. Nyx stood, walking into the hallway only to appear moments later with a large blanket. He sat back down and shifted in a way that allowed Ignis to lay against his chest while he flipped through the channels, settling on some animated show before throwing the cover over the two of them as Ignis drifted off to sleep.</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>Ignis woke up to his alarm blaring on his phone, rolling off both Nyx and the couch, startling the other man awake. His legs tangled with the blanket that had been covering them and Ignis groaned. He had forgotten that the alarm was still on, despite having the day off. It was the biggest reason that he had decided to come over to Nyx’s home the night before. Nyx moaned and hissed sharply, an eye cracking open to find Ignis on the floor. After running a hand over his face, he stood up and dragged his feet to the kitchen, rummaging through both the cabinet and fridge as Ignis untangled himself from the blanket.</p><p>
  <em> “Shit.” </em>
</p><p>Ignis bunched up the blanket and walked curiously to the kitchen where Nyx was desperately tearing through his refrigerator.</p><p>“Everything alright, Nyx?” he asked, watching warily. He had never seen Nyx act in such a way.</p><p>“I didn’t expect you to actually stay the night, or to even see you until maybe later,” Nyx admitted, shutting the fridge and opening the empty freezer instead before closing it quickly and running a hand through his hair.</p><p>“What do you…” Ignis began, his sentence trailing off as it dawned on him.</p><p>He remembered Nyx saying something about vegan options when they had gone on their first date. Slowly the dots began connecting. Vampires didn’t normally need to eat much, maybe once every day or two as a minimum─even as a “vegetarian”─however, vampires that chose to be “vegan” often needed to eat as many meals as a normal human would. Nyx was hungry… and there must have not been anything else in the house to sate him.</p><p>“That coffee was supposed to be breakfast today,” Nyx said, trying to chuckle through the slight growl in his voice, “but Crowe and I couldn’t just let you stay cold after coming over so late and I sure as hell couldn’t allow you to just go home after being exhausted.”</p><p>It was at that moment that Crowe came in, eyes still shut, and blindly grabbed a blood pack out of the fridge, popped it open, and drank it. When it had been completely drained she opened her eyes and looked between Ignis and Nyx before doing a double take.</p><p>“Did you never go home?” she asked.</p><p>Nyx grunted and quickly made his way out of the kitchen and down the hall, Ignis’ eyes following him. Crowe nudged him with her elbow and nodded toward the hall that Nyx had just gone down.</p><p>“You may want to make sure he doesn’t do something stupid,” Crowe advised as she took out a second small container of blood and poured some into a glass.</p><p>“But what could I even do?” Ignis asked, concerned. “Wouldn’t you be a better candidate to assist him?”</p><p>“Listen, I’m not his boyfriend. I doubt he’d want me to help him.”</p><p>“Oh… <em> Oh… </em>” Ignis blushed, realizing what she was saying.</p><p>“He won’t force you into anything, but doing <em> that </em> at least helps to take the edge off when you’re hungry.”</p><p>Ignis swallowed and made his way down the hallway, heart pounding nearly out of his chest. He didn’t imagine they’d be taking that step yet, but he was strangely at-ease about it. Ignis had wondered what it would be like to have sex with Nyx, but he couldn’t believe they were finally taking that step. The knock he made on the only closed door sounded like thunder in his ears, competing with the hammering of his heart. Silence met him from the other side of the door, Ignis deciding to slowly turn the knob so that he could crack the door slightly.</p><p>“Nyx?”</p><p>The other man made no noise beyond a muffled moan.</p><p>“Nyx, I’m going to come in,” Ignis announced as he opened the door, movements and actions still slow.</p><p>He made his way over to Nyx’s bed once he shut the door, sitting on the edge as though he’d have to leave at any moment. Nyx was biting down on his hand, a small amount of blood from two different spots slowly trickling down, causing Ignis’ heart to beat even faster, this time out of concern. How badly did not having a meal affect Nyx? It seemed significant enough to him, since the man was literally biting himself.</p><p>“If there’s any way I can help you, <em> please </em>,” Ignis begged softly, placing a hand gingerly on Nyx’s knee, “tell me. I can’t stand to see you hurting like this.”</p><p>In an instant, Nyx had grabbed the hand on his knee, pivoting so that it now rested, pinned, above Ignis’ head while Nyx stopped his face mere inches from Ignis’ own. Ignis hadn’t had time to register that he was even laying down, Nyx looming over him. Blood rushed downward and he felt his cock twitch, already beginning to harden. Nyx was hesitant, almost as though he were afraid. They were both on the bed, frozen. Nyx was on hands and knees above Ignis who was flat on his back. Nyx had the sheets fisted in his free hand, knuckles white with nerves as he tilted his forehead down so that they touched.</p><p>“Ignis, I─”</p><p>Quickly, before he lost confidence, Ignis pressed their lips together. Nyx responded immediately, parting his lips just enough to allow Ignis to snake his tongue in, coaxing a response from the other man. Before they knew it, shirts were off and Nyx was pressing kisses down Ignis’ neck and chest, licking and tasting with care for his fangs. Ignis moaned softly, hands grasping at the bedding as his boyfriend came ever closer to his throbbing length where it tented his borrowed pajama pants.</p><p>“Has anyone ever told you,” Nyx started, his voice a low and husky growl, “that you smell intoxicating when you’re aroused?”</p><p>Ignis opened his mouth to reply, but words failed him as it turned into a soft gasp as Nyx caught his mouth with his own, grinding their hips together. </p><p>“May I?” Nyx asked against Ignis’ lips as the hand that had grasped the sheets moved lower, caressing Ignis’ body until it grazed his concealed and throbbing length.</p><p>Ignis nodded mutely, moaning as Nyx released Ignis’ cock from its fabric prison, earning a loud gasp that turned into a wordless shout of pleasure as his boyfriend grasped his shaft and stroked, moving his head lower so that his tongue could leave a wet strip from base to head. They had barely begun and Ignis was trembling, each nerve overloaded by the electricity of Nyx’s touch, causing the man to chuckle, breath teasing Ignis─he was barely an inch from his mouth, for Bahamut’s sake!.</p><p>“Just listen to your heart,” he said with a cocky smirk, flicking up his eyes to look at Ignis. “I’m surprised it’s still in your chest. I never expected you to come so undone for me.”</p><p>“Fuck!” Ignis cried out, a mixture of lust and embarrassment at how desperate he was to feel Nyx inside of him. <em> “Six preserve me.” </em></p><p>“A prayer? At a time like this?” Nyx crooned, tongue working at the head while his hand stroked a slow and torturous rhythm.</p><p>Ignis could no longer think straight, the feeling of Nyx licking and sucking and stroking nearly making him <em> yell </em>, the noise quickly turning into a moan and then a cry as Nyx unexpectedly took him completely into his mouth. The sensation unlike anything Ignis could have imagined. The snap of a lid opening caused Ignis to look down, feeling the cold air against his glistening cock as he watched Nyx spread the lube on his fingers. When it had been decided that it was enough, Nyx moved a hand between Ignis’ legs, pressing against the opening as he moved to kiss Ignis.</p><p>“Is this alright?” he asked, their lips brushing.</p><p>Ignis nodded, unable to speak, kissing him again as he felt a finger dip inside. Ignis was impatient, fingers twisting into Nyx’s hair and pulling him closer, deepening the kiss as another finger sought entrance and Ignis could feel his body stretching to accommodate it, eager and willing. By the time Nyx added a third, wanting to be thorough so as not to hurt the other at all, Ignis was practically fucking himself on them, desperate to feel Nyx bury himself deep inside.</p><p>“So eager,” Nyx’s voice rumbled, voice caressing Ignis’ ear as he removed his fingers, Ignis unable to help the moan that escaped his lips until Nyx began to slick his own weeping length, a string of precum dripping down the length of his shaft until it too glittered in the light of the room.</p><p>Butterflies fluttered within Ignis’ stomach as Nyx positioned himself, erect cock slowly pressing into Ignis.</p><p>“<em> Nyx, </em>” Ignis moaned, his back arching as his boyfriend leaned down to press their bodies together.</p><p>“<em> Ignis, </em>” Nyx breathed back, capturing his mouth again.</p><p>Ignis couldn’t get over the taste of Nyx, hands moving to dig fingers into his back as Nyx buried his face into his neck, taking a deep breath, then two, then a scrape of teeth against his skin─Nyx froze, cock half-buried and pulsing in Ignis’ ass.</p><p>“Nyx?” Ignis breathed, wiggling underneath him as his body screamed at the sudden lack of movement, repeating once his head cleared a little more and Nyx refused to answer, “Nyx, are you okay?”</p><p>“I─” Nyx’s voice was a low growl, almost a deadly purr against his chest, “I don’t think I can do this.”</p><p>“What’s wrong?” Ignis asked, suddenly alert and nervous that something had happened to Nyx that he hadn’t realized in his wanton haze.</p><p>“Your scent, your heartbeat, your <em> blood </em>─” Nyx’s voice and body trembled, breath hot against Ignis, “─it’s calling to me like a siren’s song and I can’t…”</p><p>“You…” Ignis started, heart ratcheting up in its already-fast pace and breath catching as his cock jumped. “Nyx…”</p><p>“I-I won’t m-make you,” Nyx stammered out, unconsciously moving his face to nuzzle against the pulse at Ignis’ neck, “but i-if we─” he swallowed “─continue I… I do-don’t know if… if…”</p><p>“Do it,” Ignis whispered.</p><p>Those two words caused Nyx to raise his head, pupils blown so wide that Ignis could barely see his irises, his mouth open as though he wanted to protest. Ignis kissed him, pressing their lips tightly together.</p><p>“Do it,” he repeated. “It’s ok.”</p><p>It was as though a spell had broken, Nyx moving against him as he continued to push into Ignis, somehow still rock hard, as his lips moved with renewed vigor at Ignis’ neck and chest before sinking his fangs into the flesh and tasting Ignis’ blood for the first time, something about the act being more intimate than dirty.</p><p>Ignis knew it would hurt for a moment, but was more surprised by the pleasure he felt at the knowledge that, as he was being fucked, Nyx was also drinking from him. When Nyx finished drinking, he licked the two matching pricks to stop the bleeding, leaning his face again into the crook of Ignis’ neck as he thrust rhythmically with his hips. Ignis’ breath came loud, mind hazy with pleasure. He was close, so close, and Nyx was chasing his own release, pounding into him. Ignis squirmed below, desperate to cum as he felt something deep within him get tighter and tighter until he was tumbling into the bliss of orgasm, his seed spurting between the two as Nyx poured his own a few pumps later. Sweat beaded on their skin, Nyx slowly pulled out after a moment and laid beside Ignis, propping his head up on his palm to watch Ignis.</p><p>“I’m sorry, I just couldn’t… You have no idea, Ignis, the temptation that I’m surrounded with… <em> Astrals. A </em>nd it doesn’t help that your scent mingles with coffee almost always,” Nyx murmured. “I could get drunk on that alone.”</p><p>Ignis caressed Nyx’s cheek, feeling his eyes droop between the loss of blood and the after-effect of cumming. “If it ever gets to be too much… I’m always willing, just for you, Nyx.” His words were beginning to slur with drowsiness, eyes already closed and he felt Nyx press a kiss to his palm.</p><p>“Thank you,” Nyx whispered.</p><p>Ignis drifted off to sleep, tucked into Nyx’s arms.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Ignis woke up later, he realized he had been tucked under the sheets on Nyx’s bed. He couldn’t help but turn his head into the pillow and take a deep breath. He had never dreamed that he would have jumped into bed with anyone, let alone that person being a vampire and that they would drink his blood, but he had no regrets about the decision. He was still tired, though he knew that to be from blood loss, and debated about going back to sleep when he heard the door creak open.</p><p>“Ignis, you awake?” Nyx asked softly.</p><p>Ignis turned and cracked an eye open, looking at Nyx who had a smile on his face.</p><p>“How’re you feeling?” Nyx continued as he made his way over to sit on the bed.</p><p>“Tired still,” Ignis replied, voice still thick from sleep.</p><p>“You wanna maybe go eat?” Nyx asked, rubbing Ignis’ back. “Your clothes are in the dryer and I can go get them so you can relax a bit more.”</p><p>Ignis nodded mutely, turning his face back into the pillow. Within minutes, Ignis could smell coffee, stronger than what had been contained in Nyx’s pillow, and sat up to see him holding a mug of coffee in one hand, with Ignis’ clothes hung over the unoccupied arm.</p><p>“I went out to get some stuff while you were asleep since I didn’t wanna wake you up,” Nyx said with a smirk, making his way to the bed and sitting down, placing the draped clothes by the pillows as he handed over the cup.</p><p>Ignis took a long sip of the dark liquid, the flavor washing over him as content settled within him. He looked at his watch, the time reading that it was half past noon, and it sent a jolt through him. While it may be his day off, he still had errands he needed to run a few hours from then, and his home was far enough away that the daytime traffic would be jamming the streets with the lunch rush.</p><p>“As wonderful as lunch would be─” Ignis began until Nyx cut him off in a firm voice.</p><p>“Ignis, you’ve been working yourself to the bone and deserve an <em> actual </em> day off. I doubt anyone else other than the King’s Shield works nearly as hard or often as you do!” Nyx said in frustration before taking a deep breath and continuing. “Please, just lunch. After that if you still insist on working on your day off, I’ll catch a bus from the restaurant so you can take your car. No sense in having to travel all the way back here for it and waste that time, right?”</p><p>Ignis sighed. Nyx’s logic was sound and he was actually right about the work. There were very few people in the Citadel─including most Council members─that worked as many days and nights as Ignis. He savored the coffee for a moment more before passing the mug back to Nyx, swiftly changing into his clothes, and promptly took the coffee back, which earned a laugh from his boyfriend as he quickly drained the cup of its contents.</p><p>“If it’s alright with you, I’ll drive,” Nyx offered as they made their way to the front door. “What, with the blood loss and lack of eating yet today.”</p><p>Ignis huffed and passed the keys to his car, unable to defend against the logic, before he heard Crowe snicker behind them.</p><p>“See ya, lover boys,” she said in farewell as they left, both returning her wave.</p><p>As the two buckled into the car, Ignis watched the city go by from the window. The day was considerably clearer than the night before, and while the sky was cloudy it was no longer a dreary grey but an off-white instead. While Nyx drove, they made small talk: how Nyx’s job at the café was going, when Ignis’ next days off were─barring any mandatory overtime─and what they were going to do, what Ignis was working on that wasn’t confidential. Eventually, they fell into comfortable silence while the radio played music, interrupted every so often by the radio dj talking about any current topics that might catch the attention of the listeners.</p><p>“Anything in particular you want?” Nyx asked, eyes flicking toward Ignis, then back to the road despite being stopped at a red light, “I don’t have much, but it’s my treat.”</p><p>“I could pay, Nyx,” Ignis reminded, meeting Nyx’s gaze as he looked back over at Ignis’ words. “I know you don’t get paid much at the café, and there haven’t been laws put in place to guarantee a minimum wage for vampires, though Regis is working on that as we speak.”</p><p>“Maybe I want to spoil my man?” chuckled Nyx, eyes again turning to the road just as the light turned green. “Besides, thanks to you insisting on helping with things like my budget management, I can afford to.”</p><p>Ignis resisted the urge to roll his eyes, a quirk he picked up from seeing Noctis do it so often at just about anything, and took a breath through his mouth, preparing to say something when Nyx beat him to it.</p><p>“How about that cute little sandwich shop by your house? I’ve heard their food is pretty good, and that the prices are reasonable for what you get.”</p><p>Ignis wanted to reconsider, but it was that cocky smirk that got him.</p><p>“Fine, but only if I treat you to dinner.”</p><p>With that Nyx agreed, so long as it was at Ignis’ apartment, and before long the two were chatting away happily as they pulled up to the quaint little shop. They ordered their food, Ignis requested a simple turkey and cheese, while Nyx stuck to a small coffee. The two chose a table near an open window to enjoy the weather outside. The sun had finally found a break in the clouds and was shining brightly, casting it’s glow through the streets and lighting up the shop better than the artificial fluorescent lights could. Nyx smiled slyly as he reached over to fix a button on Ignis’ collar.</p><p>“Don’t think you want your bite poking through,” Nyx teased, his grin growing wider.</p><p>“While I don’t care, it would be bad for public image with the current state of affairs,” Ignis sighed in agreement. “Thank you.”</p><p>“You shouldn’t have to worry about bleeding, thankfully,” Nyx informed quietly, his smile dimming, “and I seriously can’t thank you enough. I wasn’t going to go feral, but that hunger can make someone very on edge. I just can’t believe you were so willing.”</p><p>Ignis placed a hand over Nyx’s and they shared a small smile before continuing to eat their food. Once finished, Ignis took back his keys, insisting that he was fine to drive, and brought Nyx to his house nearby after a quick stop to the grocery store. He knew that his boyfriend had work that night, and at least this way he would be closer, even if he didn’t take the bus to the coffee shop. Ignis had insisted on keeping several outfits in his apartment so that Nyx could stay over, even on work nights, in case of situations exactly like this one. The two cuddled on the couch for most of the day once the groceries had been put away. He had asked Nyx about what he could eat that were within his diet, so he could always have something at his house. The night passed in relative quiet, the occasional bump from neighbors going about their daily lives being the only interruption as they made their way to bed, arms wrapped around each other as they drifted off to sleep.</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>When Ignis woke in the morning, he was alone in bed, though he had expected that. Nyx was usually up early in the morning, especially when he had to work that night. Ignis reached for his phone and checked the time. The screen displayed the time in blindingly bright text: <em>06:38</em>. He still had several hours before work and he was loathe to sleep the time away, therefore he began to ready himself for the day.</p><p>Ignis shuffled about the room, squinting in the darkness, until he reached his closet and opened the door, grabbing a hanger at random. Each hanger held a pre-chosen outfit─shirt, tie, slacks, jacket, vest─so that it was one less thing he would have to do in the ungodsly hours of the morning. Once his clothes had been chosen, he dragged himself out into the hallway, blinking in the light as he blindly walked into the living room. Someone─<em> Nyx </em>, he thought vaguely─grabbed his hand gently and pressed something into it, lifting the arm toward his face, the familiar smell of Ebony brand coffee filling his nostrils. Ignis sighed, a breathy noise, as he leaned against a wall with eyes still closed and sank to the floor as he drank. He was far more exhausted than he would normally be at this hour.</p><p>“I would’ve made breakfast, but you don’t really have a lot of food here except what you bought yesterday. I could always make a smoothie for you,” Nyx’s voice said as Ignis mutely drank his caffeinated brew.</p><p>Ignis grunted, sipping the drink again and cracking open a single eye to see Nyx kneeling down next to him patiently. Once the cup was empty, Nyx took it back to refill before handing it back to a more-lucid Ignis.</p><p>“A small breakfast smoothie would be lovely, dear,” Ignis replied, the term of endearment coming out naturally.</p><p>“Huh,” Nyx remarked softly, pressing a kiss to Ignis’ lips before standing again. “First time you haven’t just called me by my name.”</p><p>And it was. Ignis had never been one for pet names or nicknames, but it just felt right. <em> Then again </em> , Ignis thought to himself as he enjoyed his second cup of coffee, <em> nothing about this relationship has been normal in the least. </em> By the time it was 7AM, Ignis had had a small breakfast and several cups of coffee, and Nyx had insisted on washing out the coffee pot and blender. Ignis wished that he could stay home that day, more so than normal. Something tugged at him, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Pushing the niggling thought away, he focused on Nyx, pulling him toward the shower with a quirk of his lips.</p><p>“You don’t go in for another four hours, right?” Nyx spoke, turning so that he was walking backwards toward the bedroom as Ignis followed.</p><p>“Three, if you count when I leave the house.”</p><p>“Well then, there’s plenty we can do in three hours…”</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>Ignis washed the shampoo out of Nyx’s hair, kissing his neck once the suds had cleared. While Nyx gave blow jobs that were on another level than anything he had ever experienced, sex in the shower was still an awkward endeavor, especially with a shower that wasn’t the biggest on Eos. Nyx leaned back into him, turning his face so that their lips could capture each other’s once again until an odd ringtone cut through the noise of the shower.</p><p>“That’s Gladio’s ringtone,” Ignis murmured against Nyx’s lips until his body stiffened as the ringing suddenly stopped, replaced by one he couldn’t mistake.</p><p>“What’s wrong?” Nyx asked in a concerned voice, turning so that Ignis could scoot by him to exit.</p><p>“That’s his work phone, before it was his normal phone,” Ignis said, anxiety welling in his chest. “Something is wrong.”</p><p>There had always been an unspoken code: for immediate emergencies you always call from the work phone to another work phone. Ignis, Gladio, Prompto, and Noctis had a second one that they never mentioned: if there was ever an issue or emergency that they needed to know about personally then they would call from their personal phones first and hang up before they could pick up and call from their work phones.</p><p>“Gladiolus,” Ignis said, tense and dripping from not having bothered to dry off first, “what’s wrong? Is Noctis alright?”</p><p>
  <em> “It’s not Noct ya gotta worry about, Iggy.” </em>
</p><p>“Gladio, I don’t─”</p><p>
  <em> “You better come in before anyone else does.” </em>
</p><p>With that, the line clicked and Ignis’ heart ramped up in speed, the room spinning and his lungs refusing to work. What was wrong? What had happened that would cause Gladio to use their personal alert? What could possibly─</p><p>A hand appeared in his vision and Nyx turned Ignis to face him, framing his face with one hand while taking one of Ignis’ own and placing it on his chest.</p><p>“Breathe with me, babe,” Nyx urged, his breaths even and smooth.</p><p>It wasn’t until then that Ignis realized he had begun to hyperventilate, his lungs burning in a desperate plea for air. He tried to focus on the feel of his hand rising and falling in time with Nyx’s chest, the ironic contrast of feeling lungs move without a heartbeat to accompany it providing a perfect distraction to help bring him back down. Nyx slowly drew him closer so that they embraced, Ignis eventually laying his head on Nyx’s chest to continue following the rise and fall of it and trying to match it with his own. His heart gradually calmed and exhaustion settled over him.</p><p>“What happened?” Nyx asked, once Ignis’ breathing steadied.</p><p>“I have to get to the Citadel,” Ignis answered, moving away from Nyx and finally toweling off quickly as he made his way back into the room. “Gladio wouldn’t tell me specifics, but I’m assuming it’s nothing good.”</p><p>He dressed swiftly. Slipping on his slacks, fingers flying at buttons and tucking in his shirt as he was unable to ignore his panic. Nyx assisted by tying the tie at the same time he buttoned his cuffs. Checking his phone as Nyx finished up, Ignis saw that it was <em> 08:20 </em>, the first of the earliest morning shift would just be coming in, meaning that at least half of the staff would likely be in by the time he arrived. Turning to Nyx, he settled for one last, chaste kiss before heading toward the door. It was in this moment that Ignis was glad that he had given Nyx a spare key to his apartment a few weeks before.</p><p>“I’ll see you at the café later,” Ignis said quickly, grabbing his coat and slipping it on as he patted his pockets in an attempt to quickly take inventory before realizing he still had yet to grab his briefcase… which was already in Nyx’s grasp, the man passing it to him with concern all over his face. “I promise I’ll be ok. Feel free to stay here until your shift, you know this is just as much your home as the one you have downtown.”</p><p>“Ignis,” Nyx blurted out just before Ignis shut the door, causing him to poke his head back inside quickly, “I─I love you.”</p><p>This time Ignis’ heart hammered in his chest for a different reason, though it was now for a happier reason than the one from earlier. He felt a blush creep onto his face as he opened his mouth.</p><p>“I love you, too.”</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>When Ignis finally arrived at the office, he felt everyone’s eyes on him. There were mutters that he could never catch, but the fact that conversations died out when he got too close gave him a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Some people outright moved out of his way to give a wide berth, meanwhile others outright glared at him with either fear, disgust, or some  mixture of the two. Ignis strode to his office and opened the door, spotting something on his desk: one of the local gossip rags called <em> Insomnian Nightly </em> that he often disregarded, though this time was different. As he set down his briefcase, he saw two images, one with a red circle placed on it that showed where an image had been enhanced: Nyx’s fanged smile and a bite mark peeking from above a collar on none other than Ignis’ own neck, while the other picture had been from the other night where he had stood soaking wet on Nyx’s doorstep. The headline said in bold lettering: <b> <em>BLOOD DONATION?: Prince’s Advisor Spotted on Date with Residential Vampire</em> </b>. The words caused a fear to nestle in his chest.</p><p>The secret was out. Now all of Insomnia knew he was dating a vampire. Ignis knew the troubles were only just beginning.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>~Two Months Later~</p><p> </p><p>Ignis sighed as he opened his defaced office door. It was Friday, which meant that before he left he would wash off his door like he had every week after the news broke that he, Ignis Scientia, Advisor to the Crown Prince of Lucis, was dating a vampire. The words were the same as they always were: <em> bloodbag, vamp whore, donor </em>. Ignis tried not to let it get to him, but a small part was always hurt. He was no different than before he dated Nyx, though the unfortunate reality is that people thought otherwise. Some in the office still spoke to him, but others refused to even be near him, giving him as large a berth as any room would allow and refusing to communicate or give him paperwork. The result was that he often sat at his desk with little to do and people were complaining at him making “free money”, causing Ignis to have to pick up tutoring Noctis, much to the crown prince’s disdain.</p><p>The two thin files on his desk were all that greeted him upon entering his office. Everyone feared that he would slip in new laws and rights for vampires, who were quickly losing ground on the few they had. Even if he wanted to or could, Ignis would never do such a thing; there were proper ways to put laws and bills into action and that was not one of them. Only a fool would go through such a route, anything Ignis would have put in would be taken out immediately and cause action to fall upon him. No, if he was going to be insubordinate, he would at least not be a <em> fool. </em></p><p>Before long, the files had been reviewed and his emails read and answered, with a few extras thrown in requesting firmly that he be forwarded <em> any </em> emails concerning Council matters that were missing from his briefings, as he had no patience left after having to hunt down everything himself. After an hour of no work sent his way, he decided to head down to train, another thing he had picked up since losing the massive workload that used to be his norm. His skills with a blade had grown exponentially, prompting him to improve his speed and hand-to-hand combat tactics. <em> Gladiolus should be training today as well, </em> Ignis thought to himself. <em> I’ll see if he can fit me in. </em></p><p>As it turned out, Noctis was in his supplementary training course. He had fallen behind since he had gotten sick the month before and his studies, whether they be in school or the Citadel, had been forced to the wayside so he could recover.</p><p>“C’mon Noct,” Gladio chastised, pointing with the wooden sword in his hand as Ignis pushed past the training room doors. “You’re leaving yourself completely open and your stance is sloppy. I know you didn’t forget all your training.”</p><p>“I got studies after this, Gladio,” Noctis moaned, tipping his head back as he did, shoulders slack. “Can’t we just call it a day?”</p><p>“You’ve barely even begun your training, Highness,” Ignis spoke up.</p><p>“Not you too, Iggy!” Noctis cried, letting his head loll to the side as he turned to look at the Advisor.</p><p>“Heya Ignis!” Gladio called, raising his sword arm in a sort of wave. “Just trying to whip Princess here back into shape.”</p><p>“Then consider me a casual observer, if you would,” Ignis remarked casually, heading toward the locker room. “I need to get changed, so long as you don’t mind a post-training spar.”</p><p>“Anything for you,” Gladio said with a wink, causing Noctis to fake gag. “Ready again!”</p><p>The sound of wood against wood sounded as Ignis found his locker. He had requested it be moved yet <em> again, </em> since it had been broken into and his clothes stolen the week prior. Ignis had been forced to buy new clothes to train in after he could find neither hide, nor hair of his previous outfit. He wasted no time changing into the new clothes, the silence only broken by the sound of wood beating against itself. Ignis felt his emotions wash over him, the frustration and sadness and hurt crashing into him like a tidal wave that couldn’t be stopped. Willing back his frustrated tears did little to stop them from flowing down his cheeks.</p><p>He hated being treated like filth simply because of who he was with─as though Nyx and the resulting relationship were trash that should be discarded. The local tabloids had ran with the misinformation, only inflaming the situation. Nyx, fortunately, hadn’t seen much difference in his day-to-day. However, Ignis’ own had changed dramatically. Between people refusing to work with him, to acting like he were somehow defiled by association, his world had been turned on its head.</p><p>In an attempt to push the feelings aside, closing it back up in its little box and tucking it away to deal with later, Ignis straightened from where he had begun to curl in on himself, shutting the locker door with more force than intended. Taking a deep breath in through his nose, he held it for a moment before letting it out slowly through his mouth, repeating the process until he once again felt some sort of calm. Once he finally managed to center himself as best he could, he straightened and walked back out into the training room. Noctis was laid out on the floor, chest heaving as he flipped himself onto his back.</p><p>“Ignis’ll save me.” Noctis panted, head lolling to the side to look at him.“Wanna swap so I can take a break, finally?”</p><p>“I’ve barely been in the locker room for five minutes,” Ignis said with a derisive snort. “Surely you’ve not become so tired as that?”<br/>“Hey, uh Iggy,” Gladio said, trading glances with Noctis as the prince sat up, “try being in there closer to twenty minutes.”</p><p>Ignis blinked. <em> Twenty minutes? </em> How could he have stood in the next room for that long? There was nothing he could say in reply. It was a lapse in his usual professional matter. Allowing himself to dwell on his life outside the office wasn’t something he had the luxury of doing.</p><p>“You ok, Iggy? You’re white as a sheet,” Gladio asked, concerned. “Why don’t you sit─”</p><p>“I’ll be alright, Gladiolus,” Ignis replied after a long moment, a heavy sigh leaving his lips as though he were trying to push out all distraction, “so long as you’re still up for a spar.”</p><p>Noctis made his way to his feet, watching Ignis carefully as he moved off to the side of the room to drink from his water bottle. Taking a defensive position in front of Gladiolus, Ignis watched. The two circled each other, both waiting for the other to make the first move. Once Gladio darted forward, Ignis lost himself, simply relying on muscle memory. They tried to pin each other, both knowing how unlikely it would be to have their opponent concede defeat. Eventually, Ignis found himself flat on his back, Gladio putting his full weight into keeping him from wriggling out of his grasp. No matter how Ignis twisted or turned, he couldn’t get out, not even if he bucked with all his might. In the end, Ignis admitted defeat with two solid smacks onto the floor with an open palm.</p><p>“Hey Iggy, you sure you’re alright?” Gladio asked, offering a hand out, which the other man took. “Your stance is too open and your strikes are more raw than normal.”</p><p>With a frustrated sigh, Ignis looked back to make sure Noctis was still distracted, turning back only when he saw the prince was tapping away idly on his phone.</p><p>“Ever since that incident with the paper I’ve received a lack of work and I’ve no doubt that the two events are linked,” Ignis admitted quietly</p><p>“Why the hell don’t you tell Noct’s old man?” Gladio growled out in a low tone, hands balled into fists at his side. “He could do something about it.”</p><p>“While no doubt making the king or the prince aware could cause them to intervene on my behalf, we both know that it would only make the situation worse,” Ignis replied, shaking his head. “Besides, this is a perfect opportunity for Noctis to learn proper royal duties. He has been slacking lately and it had doubled my workload before my relationship became<em> headline news.” </em></p><p>That got a quiet snort paired with a smirk from Gladio as Ignis took a defensive stance again. They went for three more quick rounds, Ignis winning the final one, while Noctis found a way to sleep on a gym bench peacefully. Gladio motioned toward the locker room while looking at Ignis.</p><p>“Go ahead and wash off,” Gladio said, looking back toward the slumbering Noctis. “I’ll wake up Princess over here.”</p><p>On a normal day, Ignis might have argued─Gladio had sparred with two people for quite the length of time and was no doubt looking forward to a chance to wash off the sweat he had worked up─however, he couldn’t help but drag himself into the locker room, grabbing a towel along the way to the shower. A few of the Glaive had arrived while he had been sparring, shooting him quick looks before scooting away to wash up farther from him as he chose a spot in the corner. He simply stood under the water for a moment before quickly washing off the sweat that had stuck to him from the spars. The two men who had been in the showers left as he opened his eyes. If he were to concentrate, Ignis knew he could have caught what they said, but he also knew that the words were probably just as unpleasant as he could imagine them to be.</p><p>Ignis finished up quickly, shutting off the warm water and moving to grab his towel and clothes… only to find them <em> gone. </em> Those two must have taken them on their way out. Though by the sounds, they hadn’t made it far. Ignis padded, hair dripping water into his eyes, toward what he only assumed was Gladio’s blurred form. His glasses had also been nabbed by the clothing thief.</p><p>“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Gladio’s voice boomed, echoing off the tiled walls.</p><p>“I-I-I…” stuttered a high-pitched voice, struggling to form words.</p><p>“You <em> what </em>?” Noctis demanded, using an authoritative tone that caused Ignis to wince.</p><p>“Scientia seemed to have forgotten his towel and clothes!” a tenor voice replied quickly, cracking at the end of its sentence.</p><p>“Yeah, we just thought we’d be helpful and get it for him!” chipped in the first voice.</p><p>“I never knew Specs could forget the <em> glasses </em> that sit on his <em> face.” </em></p><p>“Highness, please─” Ignis started, but Noctis cut him off, voice furious.</p><p>“For the love of the <em> Six, </em> Ignis! You’re standing there naked and dripping wet and expect me to just let this go?”</p><p>
  <em> “Yes.” </em>
</p><p>Ignis’ voice was weary and tired. The air was beginning to feel chill against his damp skin and he reached to take his towel, the Glaive who had taken it letting go which caused the other things he had been holding to fall to the ground. The two scampered out of the room as Ignis dried.</p><p>“Ignis, why the hell would you just <em> take </em>that?” Noctis questioned with disbelief. “I’ve never seen you just deal with something like that lying down.”</p><p>“Because it wouldn’t change anything, Noctis.” Ignis sighed, putting on his clothes.</p><p>“Apparently it’s been goin’ on since the papers,” Gladio chimed in.</p><p><em> “Gladiolus!” </em> Ignis chastised, shooting Gladio a look, but the Shield went on as though nothing had happened.</p><p>“He’s swearing that it’s fine, but he’s had to move lockers five times in the last month alone. I heard Cor and my old man talking about it the other night.”</p><p>“What the─” Noctis rounded on Ignis then. “Have you even said<em> anything </em> to my dad? He could literally stop that. <em> I </em> could stop that!”</p><p>Ignis couldn’t answer, couldn’t look his friends in the eye, taking a seat on the bench nearby and running a hand through his hair.</p><p>“Ignis, why haven’t you <em> said </em> anything!” Noctis shouted.</p><p><em> “Because nothing would change, Noctis!” </em> Ignis’ hands clenched into fists in his lap. “This would inevitably become worse if others were forced into working with me. There would be grudges, those who won’t listen no matter who the order comes from─this isn’t something you can just <em> command </em> away!”</p><p>The box that he had shoved deep inside was now rattling, lock threatening to give, and his chest felt as though it were about to burst. <em> No, no no, </em> Ignis thought frantically as his vision started to blur, <em> now is far from the time to get emotional. </em></p><p>Ignis forced himself to take a deep breath, then another, and another until he realized that he had begun to curl inward on himself again, tears splattering on the lenses of his glasses as he gasped for air. The box that he had so carefully constructed in his mind had been torn open and everything he’d been pushing away burst forward until it had consumed him.</p><p>“That’s it,” Noctis said, causing Ignis to look up and see him take out his phone and rapidly tap the screen.</p><p>Ignis opened his mouth to say something but all that escaped was an airy noise. His lungs burned from the crying and his ragged breathing.</p><p>“This is Noctis Lucis Caelum calling to speak to my father.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ignis sat in the back of the Regalia with Nyx, Gladiolus and Noctis in the front two seats chattering away about video games. Once Noctis had gotten off the phone with his father, he had given Gladio directions to the <em> Expresso Espresso </em> so that they could collect Nyx. Noctis had called the local cafe in the car, the manager informing him that not only was Nyx there on a day shift he had picked up, but his schedule had been changed so that he could work days instead of nights. It made things easier when Noctis arranged for another worker to be called in, the deal made even sweeter by an offer for a donation of a large sum of money for the inconvenience.</p><p>“I’m grateful for the day off, don’t get me wrong,” Nyx began, shifting nervously in his seat and looking at the two in the front of the car, “but what’s going on exactly?”</p><p>“You two are gonna enjoy the day and it’s my treat,” Noctis explained.</p><p>“He’s refused <em> no </em> as an answer,” Ignis tacked on with a tired sigh, attempting to smile weakly at his boyfriend.</p><p>“Babe, are you ok?” Nyx questioned, placing a hand on Ignis’ thigh in concern.</p><p>“It’s been a difficult day,” Ignis admitted, placing his hand over Nyx’s.</p><p>“So what do you guys want to do?” Noctis asked, turning in his seat to look back at the couple.</p><p>“Sleep would be nice,” Nyx laughed.</p><p>“Sounds like my kinda guy!” Noctis snorted. “What else?”</p><p>“Somewhere quiet would be nice,” Ignis admitted.</p><p>“And maybe something to eat. It’s been so busy I haven’t been able to take my lunch,” Nyx added.</p><p>“I… don’t know where any feeder dens are in the city…” Noctis admitted, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.</p><p>“Oh no, no dens,” Nyx said quickly, “I don’t really drink blood.”</p><p>“Then what do you drink?”</p><p><em> “Noctis!” </em> Ignis chastised.</p><p>“No, babe, it’s fine. Not a lot of humans are aware of veganism with vampires,” Nyx replied. “If we could find somewhere with wine or coffee I’ll be fine.”</p><p>“Then what about the papers?” Noctis couldn’t help but ask, raising a brow. “Those were obvious bite marks.”</p><p>“Well,” Nyx started, shifting under the gaze of everyone in the car, “it’s hotly debated, even among vampire culture, whether or not devouring the blood of your mate is considered breaking the vegan or vegetarian diet. It’s a highly intimate act, so some argue that technically it’s fine─I’m in that category.”</p><p>Ignis looked at Nyx, butterflies fluttering in his stomach. Nyx had called him his <em> mate </em> . While Ignis didn’t know much about vampire culture, one of the things he <em> did </em> know was that it wasn’t a term that was casually used. It was something that vampires said about someone they intended to spend the rest of their lives with. Did Nyx really feel that way about him? </p><p>Ignis became lost in his own thoughts until he heard the conversation Nyx and Noctis had struck up, a restaurant having been agreed upon before he could get a word in edgewise. Ignis was surprised by the particular topic brought up by none other than the prince himself: vampires. He asked about living conditions, wage gaps that were known between humans and vampires, employment issues, and that was just the tip of the iceberg. Nyx admitted to being one of the lucky few who found decent employment, though he still dealt with poor living conditions and racism through his landlord. As they pulled into the Insomnian House of Pancakes, Noctis reached a hand out to Nyx.</p><p>“I’ll be sure to tell my father, the king, everything you’ve told me,” he said, grasping Nyx’s hand as he shook it, determination hard set in his eyes. “We won’t let this continue, if my family has any say about it.”</p><p>As the four exited the car to head into the restaurant, Gladio nearly skipped─an amusing sight for sure─through the doors, saying he’d been wanting to order a new absurd dish called <em> The Whole Garula </em> since it had come out a few weeks back, but hadn’t had the time. Once Nyx walked through with Ignis, he stiffened for a moment, gone so quick Ignis wondered if he had imagined it until his boyfriend leaned down to kiss his cheek and whispered something into his ear quickly.</p><p>“Casually undo your top button.”</p><p>Resisting the urge to look to Nyx in confusion, Ignis did so, adjusting his shirt to make it look like it had maybe felt too tight. As they all walked up the hostess standing at the podium smiled tightly, voice quiet as she asked if the party was only four people and guiding them to a table silently once confirmed, placing the menus in front of each person and leaving just as quietly. Nyx grasped his menu tightly, his voice sounding casual, but Ignis knew him well enough to realize something was wrong.</p><p>“Nyx, your lip─” Ignis started, his sentence dropping immediately at the almost imperceptible shake of his head that caused the entire table to stiffen up as something tapped Ignis’ thigh: a cell phone with seven words displayed on the screen as he passed it off under the table.</p><p>
  <em> Stay calm this place isn’t vampire friendly </em>
</p><p>Acting as though nothing had changed, Ignis reached his leg out, hooking his heel behind Gladio’s ankle and pulling slightly. Just as casually, Gladio reached under the table to take the phone. Ignis reclaimed the phone just as a woman dressed smartly walked up to the table, smile wide as she greeted them.</p><p>“Welcome, Your Highness, to the Insomnian House of Pancakes,” she said with a slight bow of her head in recognition. “My name is Natalia and I’ll be personally waiting on you today. Is there anything we can start you and your party off with?”</p><p>“Just coffee, I think? We’re all on break, so we don’t have much time to eat,” Noctis replied, everyone nodding in agreement.</p><p>“A round of coffee for the table!” the woman confirmed. “I do hope my hostess was polite.”</p><p>“She’s very quiet,” Noctis shrugged, “but she wasn’t rude. I hope she’s feeling alright.”</p><p>“Oh yes, I believe she’s feeling just fine,” the manager waved off, gathering the menus as she spoke offhandedly. “She’s very well trained. After all, I don’t want her to scare off the customers. Her kind can be quite savage, if you let them.”</p><p>As Natalia left to get their coffee, Ignis laid a hand atop Nyx’s own that was sitting on the table. Noctis and Gladio exchanged looks as the manager came back with four mugs and a pot of fresh coffee. Noctis was the first to have his cup filled, while Ignis had been the last, the woman spilling a quarter of the cup on the table before him and then haphazardly wiping it up with a napkin.</p><p>“I’ll be back to check on you. Would you like me to leave the pot, Highness?”</p><p>“Yes, please,” Noctis said with a strained smile, trying to help Ignis clean up the remaining coffee that she had missed on the table and cup.</p><p>With that she strode away, placing the coffee pot in the center of the table before she left to check on other tables, disappearing through a door once she was done.</p><p>“Nyx,” Noctis began quietly as everyone left their coffees untouched, “how did you know that this place isn’t friendly? I would’ve suggested somewhere else if you’d told me that before we sat down.”</p><p>“I…” Nyx began as he absentmindedly licked the self-made cut on his lip, looking quickly behind him at the hostess and then to the doorway the manager had left through before continuing, “vampires have a code, one that wouldn’t need to be spoken in times of danger─”</p><p>“Which is why you had me unbutton part of my shirt,” Ignis said, the revelation hitting him with the new information.</p><p>“And why I bit my lip,” Nyx nodded, “but I don’t want to leave.”</p><p>“Why?” Gladio asked, confused.</p><p>“Because that girl is probably paid half of what the rest of the staff are making and I want to slip her money to help,” Nyx replied, finally taking a sip of coffee and wrinkling his nose as he added absently. “This coffee is stale.”</p><p>With that everyone quietly sipped on their coffee in silence, Natalia occasionally checked on them─mostly looking at Noctis while she did so─before leaving through the back doors. Once she popped to the front to talk to the hostess in hushed tones, taking over the podium as the girl vacuumed and bussed tables silently, head bowed to look at the floor as she did so.</p><p>“I had no idea it was like this…” Gladio admitted while Noctis gripped his coffee mug so tightly his knuckles turned white. “I knew it wasn’t good, but this…”</p><p>“It’s how we’ve always lived,” Nyx replied, shrugging. “Despite the days where vampires ruled over humans mercilessly being long behind us, humans still carry the notion that we’re all monsters─creatures of the night come to devour all and leave death in our wake─but we’ve moved past that dark history.”</p><p>Once the pot of coffee was gone, Natalia appeared again, bringing the check once she made sure that was truly all they wanted. Nyx stood, excusing himself to the bathroom as the hostess pulled out with a small cleaning cart beside the two restroom doors. Ignis, Noctis, and Gladiolus all made their way to the podium to pay, Natalia thanking Noctis profusely for choosing her restaurant to eat on their break, before waiting for Nyx outside. Once he showed up, Noctis ran a hand through his hair.</p><p>“I know I promised to treat you two out, but I think I need to tell my father about what I saw so that we can try to pass something to outlaw treatment like that,” Noctis said, looking apologetically between Ignis and Nyx. “If you’d like, we could drive you two back to the office? I know you don’t like leaving your car in the Citadel, Ignis.”</p><p>“I’ve begun riding the bus to work, Noct.” Ignis shook his head with a sigh. “I’ve had enough of paying to have my car towed, the tires replaced, and paint redone.”</p><p>“There should be a bus stop nearby,” Nyx added.</p><p>Noctis opened his mouth as though to say something, but shut it quickly and nodded, waving before he and Gladio took off in the Regalia. Ignis and Nyx made their way to the nearby bus stop, neither speaking much after the restaurant, holding hands as though to anchor each other. Once their stop came and the two stepped off to make their way to Nyx’s house, they began to speak again.</p><p>“I’m sorry you had to experience that,” Nyx apologized, squeezing Ignis’ hand. “It’s something you shouldn’t have had to see.”</p><p>“Don’t,” replied Ignis sternly. “It’s not something you can help, so you needn’t apologize for it. You can’t control how people treat you or other vampires, that’s why the king has been trying to pass bills and laws to help, despite the Council hindering progress at every turn.”</p><p>Nyx nodded, pulling Ignis along slightly as he turned down an unfamiliar sidewalk… then another… and yet another…</p><p>“We’re being followed,” Nyx explained when Ignis opened his mouth, his voice low. “Just keep talking.”</p><p>Ignis’ heart began to race as he tried his best to continue conversation, working to keep his voice level and tone casual. He couldn’t see anyone following, but when he turned his head slightly, acting like he was brushing something off Nyx’s shirt, he saw them: two people were walking behind them almost silently. He swallowed, a lump forming in his throat. How long had they been followed? Since he and Nyx had stepped off the bus?<br/>“Hopefully, the king will be able to do more soon,” Ignis continued, trying to keep his voice level.</p><p>Suddenly Nyx pulled him down an alley where a hand slammed into the wall next to Ignis’ head. His eyes went wide from the quick nature of Nyx’s actions until Nyx leaned in close and whispered to him.</p><p>
  <em> “Go along with this, I need you to trust me.” </em>
</p><p>Nyx’s lips brushed Ignis’ neck, instinctually grasping at Nyx’s shirt in the same motion, as the two vampires rounded the corner.</p><p>“Awe, looks like it’s feeding time,” crooned the woman.</p><p>“Think you can spare a few drops?” tacked on the man, looking from Ignis to Nyx, whose face had grown hard, possessive.</p><p>“I don’t share,” Nyx growled out, raising his head to bare his fangs at the other two in warning. “I suggest you find another person to bother.”</p><p>“Oh, <em> please </em>,” the woman whined, pouting her lips as she inched closer, “We only want a little donation.”</p><p>Ignis knew that the situation could escalate and, while he didn’t have his weapons on him, he was trained to fight hand-to-hand if need be─though he wasn’t sure about how well it would be against a creature with superior speed. The three vampires stood exchanging looks, Nyx’s eyes growing fiery. Eventually, the other two walked off, the woman grumbling in frustration. Ignis and Nyx waited several moments before leaving the alley, setting off in the direction of Ignis’ home.</p><p>“I was hoping you wouldn’t have to experience that.” Nyx sighed, running a hand through his hair. “It’s not <em> common </em>, but with your face being well-known enough…”</p><p>The sentence hung in the air, unfinished. Ignis took his boyfriend’s hand, bringing it to his lips for a kiss.</p><p>“Thank you for protecting me,” he told Nyx as they walked, remaining silent for the rest of the trip to his apartment.</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>As the two climbed the stairs, they chatted casually, working off residual anxiety. When the elevator doors opened, Ignis punched the number <em> 6 </em> for his floor, and they quieted down somewhat. The elevator dinged, he and Nyx stepping off, and Nyx laughed about Ignis’ insistence on keeping coffee stocked in both houses “since we both drink it more than anything else on Eos.” Ignis dug into his pocket for his keys, dropping them instantly when he saw his door. It was wide open, defaced in bold graffiti. He immediately grabbed his cellphone, scrolling through his contacts and selecting <em> Marshal </em> before hitting the call button.</p><p>“Nyx, I need you to call the police and report a break-in,” Ignis instructed as he brought the phone to his ear, hearing Cor pick it up. “Marshal, there’s been a situation. My apartment has been compromised.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Over the course of the next week, Ignis had to fill out stacks of paperwork to document the break-in─including filing for a copy to be made of the police report, though <em> that </em> was already proving to be a challenge. The police department had been giving him the runaround. One moment they’d have the copies ready for the Citadel, then the next they had yet to be made. Ignis thought about Nyx’s offer to move in with him, citing concern for Ignis’ safety, but he had declined. The answer had upset Nyx, but Ignis had insisted that he would be fine, pointing out that he had been trained by Cor and Gladiolus themselves to be able to protect the prince. Nyx had begrudgingly backed off of the subject, but reminded Ignis that the offer would remain open for the taking. Ignis slipped into his car, sighing as he slid keys into the ignition. He was about to set off to visit the station─refusing to allow the police to avoid him any further now that the Council had begun to breathe down his neck over it─when Ignis heard the sound of people talking.</p><p>“Did you hear that Scientia had his house broken into?” came a high and feminine voice.</p><p>“I suppose that’s what you get when you’re a feeder whore,” came another voice, this one deeper and more masculine.</p><p>Ignis had heard the whispers around the Citadel, but to hear it spoken so brazenly in the open hurt him. They had been growing since the magazine article, but when news of his house’s break-in hit, everything spread like wildfire.</p><p>“I heard it wasn’t even a break-in,” the woman’s voice said back, “I heard that he had a few of those bloodsuckers at his house and they all had a wild night!”</p><p>“I wouldn’t be surprised if that was true,” the man laughed. “It’s what you get when you let people fuck you for your blood.”</p><p>Ignis felt heat rise to his cheeks. <em> Blood whore </em>. He hated that he was being called that behind his back. There weren’t many slurs worse than that and, while Ignis couldn’t stop what people would say behind his back, it hurt nevertheless. Once the voices faded away, he started the car and drove off.</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>Three hours later, Ignis was walking out of the police station with a copy of his report in hand. Half of his day had been spent processing and attaining all of his paperwork for his own and the Citadel’s records, leaving him with all of three hours to squeeze his errands and regular work into. Today was a shortened day, some of the Council giving him time off under the guise of <em> concern </em>, though Ignis knew better. They had been slowly cutting his hours week by week, eventually leading him to requesting shifts so that his income could remain stable since Noctis’ school had let out for the summer and the need to give additional tutoring had lessened.</p><p>Once the paperwork had been passed off to the office, Ignis had decided to make a stop to visit Nyx, needing to see his boyfriend’s face after the stress of the day, even if it was just on an early lunch break. As he walked through the door, Ignis lifted a hand to Nyx in greeting, his boyfriend’s face falling from its smile as soon as he saw Ignis’ face.</p><p>“Crowe, you think you can hold the front, real quick?” Nyx asked, rounding the counter to take Ignis’ hand.</p><p>“Yeah, why not, lover boy,” Crowe replied with a shrug, turning on a faucet in the sink. “I got this.”</p><p>Nyx pulled Ignis behind the counter and through a door that led to the breakroom. He had never been behind the counter before, noticing a handful of lockers on the far wall next to a small rack for jackets. Ignis took a seat at the small table, Nyx pulling a chair across from him before taking his hand again.</p><p>“What happened, babe?” Nyx asked, rubbing a thumb across Ignis’ knuckles.</p><p>Ignis sighed, retelling the events since the break-in while rubbing his free hand across his face. Nyx leaned over and placed a kiss on Ignis’ lips and then brushed one against his knuckles.</p><p>“Everything will even out,” Nyx whispered.</p><p>Impulsively, Ignis reached out to tip Nyx’s chin up before kissing him gently.</p><p>“That’s why I love you,” Ignis murmured against Nyx’s lips as they kissed. “I love you so much, Nyx.”</p><p>Ignis’ heart was beating a mile a minute, threatening to burst from his chest as he said those words. They had never said it before, and Ignis could only hope that Nyx felt the same. He felt Nyx tangle fingers in his hair as the grip on Ignis’ hand tightened, their kiss deepening.</p><p>“I love you too, Ignis.”</p><p>Ignis felt drunk on Nyx’s lips, the other man getting off his chair only to straddle Ignis’ lap as they continued to kiss. In the back of his mind Ignis knew that they should stop─he only had thirty minutes to get back to the Citadel before having to clock back in─but a pull to his hair scattered those thoughts. He could feel himself stirring beneath his slacks, likewise he could feel Nyx being affected the same way.</p><p>“We shouldn’t,” Ignis struggled to say, voice husky as they continued kissing, pulling closer to each other despite his words. “You’re at work, and I have to be back before long.”</p><p>When the two finally broke apart, Nyx and Ignis both breathing heavily as their erections strained against their pants. Nyx stood up and strode to a fridge, taking out a beer and popping the metal bottle cap off before draining it quickly.</p><p>“Then I guess only one of us gets to get off,” Nyx said finally, making his way back across the room and placing the now-empty bottle on the table, pulling Ignis so that he stood with the table behind him as Nyx knelt down.</p><p>Ignis moaned softly as Nyx undid his pants and his length was partially released, still confined by his briefs. Nyx looked up and Ignis bit his lip to keep quiet as his fingers found the table’s edge, gripping it tightly as his briefs were the next to find their way to his ankles, hissing as the cool air hit his hardness, springing up to be captured within Nyx’s palm.</p><p><em> “Amazing,” </em> Nyx murmured against Ignis’ erection, licking from base to head. “Astrals, Igs, you taste so damn good.”</p><p>Ignis made a strained noise of pleasure, trying to stay quiet, but Nyx’s tongue on his cock made it a difficult feat. How could someone have such control? How could Nyx find each and every spot to drive him wanton so quickly? His knees were weak and it was all Ignis could do just to fist a hand into Nyx’s hair, feeling him chuckle more than he could hear it. The vibration made Ignis jerk his hips forward for a moment before he got himself under control. Nyx suddenly took Ignis into his mouth fully, the tip of Ignis’ cock touching the back of Nyx’s throat.</p><p><em> At this rate I won’t last long… </em> Ignis thought to himself for a moment before Nyx deep throated him again. Did the man not have a gag reflex? Ignis didn’t have long to wonder, Nyx using his tongue to cradle Ignis’ cock against the roof of his mouth. Ignis bucked again, his control dwindling as he was forced to focus more on keeping quiet.</p><p><em> “Nyx,” </em> Ignis whispered as he thrust into Nyx’s mouth, <em> “I-I can’t... ah!” </em></p><p>Nyx hummed his pleasure, moving his hands to slowly caress Ignis’ thighs before cupping his ass as Ignis thrust into his mouth. He pulled away after a moment, Ignis’ length falling from his lips, and Ignis let out a strangled whine at the loss of his mouth.</p><p>“Then let go,” Nyx whispered against Ignis’ erection. “Fuck me as you want.”</p><p>Ignis cried out when Nyx took him back into his mouth, a ferver taking him over as he thrust into Nyx’s mouth with wild abandon, listening to Nyx’s own muffled moans of pleasure as Ignis fucked his mouth. He was chasing his own orgasm, simply seeking out his own release. There would be time another day to repay Nyx for this treat, but for now he would simply enjoy what he was being given: a moment of selfishness Ignis often didn’t spare himself.</p><p>Ignis could feel how close he was getting, no longer able to keep his sounds of pleasure to himself. His breaths were coming heavy and rapid, moans escaping his lips as he teetered ever closer to his own completion.</p><p>“Aaah, <em> Nyx </em>!” Ignis gasped, feeling himself cum as the sound of a door opening reached his ears.</p><p>“Guys what’re you─<em> Shiva’s frosty tits! </em>” came a woman’s voice, followed by the sound of a door quickly being shut.</p><p>Nyx drank every last drop of seed that Ignis had spilled, pulling his head back to clear his throat as he wiped away a bit of cum that had escaped from the corner of his mouth before licking it from his finger.</p><p>“I believe Crowe witnessed us,” Ignis admitted as he pulled his underwear and slacks around his waist.</p><p>“Don’t worry, I’ll deal with Crowe,” Nyx told him with a wink, throwing away the beer bottle before fixing his mussed hair. “You want something to eat since you’re still on your lunch?”</p><p>Ignis accepted a small sandwich and coffee in the end, eating it with Nyx at a table in the main café lobby before leaving to complete his shift in the office. They both couldn’t help but smile as through they were children having been caught breaking the rules, yet weren’t sorry for it. It was the most daring thing that Ignis had ever done and it made him feel <em> bold </em> . When they got up, Ignis could catch Nyx apologizing with a smirk, as well as Crowe’s reply of a simple <em> “You owe me” </em> before Ignis walked out the door to return to the Citadel.</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>The next two days were much the same. Stress had gone through the roof with a new piece of legislature set to pass through the Council, causing an uptick in Ignis’ workload whether his coworkers liked it or not. Thankfully, he was off the next day, planning on packing some things so that he could stay the night at Nyx’s home. Nyx would text, making sure Ignis ate and took proper breaks, wasn’t too stressed, and hadn’t stopped trying to convince Ignis to move in with him.</p><p>In the end, Ignis decided to text Nyx that he would consider it─though in all honesty, Ignis had been thinking about it for the better part of the day. He had been on edge since the break-in at his home, and the stress of the Citadel only made things harder. Regis was introducing some new legislature in an attempt to give vampires more rights, but there was a fair bit of pushback. Badly-disguised gossip surrounded Ignis wherever he walked, whispers of him doing something to bend the king’s ear and coerce him into forcing through more rights proving to be a hot topic among a majority of Citadel staff. They acted as though vampires having more rights somehow meant less rights for <em> humans </em>. Ignis sighed as another stack of papers were plopped onto his desk, looking up to see Gladiolus and Noctis standing before him.</p><p>“Highness,” Ignis said, standing and bowing out of respect which caused Noctis to huff and cross his arms, “to what do I owe the pleasure?”</p><p>“Just bringing you a copy of the findings from the Council,” Noctis replied, sitting in a chair across from Ignis’ own, Gladio doing the same. “They’re not gonna do anything since the civilian police didn’t.”</p><p>“It’s a load of garula shit, if ya ask me,” Gladio grunted.</p><p>“Simply par for the course, at this point. It’s not as though I expected much else to happen.” Ignis sighed, sitting down himself.</p><p><em> “Scientia!” </em> called a man, walking into Ignis’ office with thinly veiled disgust. “Are you done with the paperwork I gave you, yet? I expected it to be on my desk nearly an hour ago.”</p><p>Ignis recognized his face from the meeting that had started everything. He tried to recall the man’s name─<em> Hath, that’s what people call him. </em> Ignis remembered. </p><p>Hath was dressed smartly, a dark suit and tie being what he often wore, insisting on its clean simplicity. “Scientia,” he repeated, eyes narrowing at Ignis and the papers before him, “do we need to lighten your workload? I know that recently your output has been drastically reduced. Are you simply unable to keep up with the demands of your position?” It was only then that he realized Noctis was sitting just a foot away from him, bowing, “My apologies, your Highness. I had no idea that you had come to speak to him. I shall return for my paperwork at a later time.”</p><p>“No need, Hath,” Ignis said tiredly, standing to pass Hath a folder of paperwork. “I had thought you wanted this later in the day, I must have been thinking of another set of paperwork that is wanted of me. My sincerest apologies.”</p><p>Hath took the paperwork with a sniff, tucking it under one arm as he excused himself, calling to another office worker as he closed the door behind him. Ignis sighed as he slumped into his chair again, removing his glasses to run a hand over his face. He looked up to Noctis’ with a frown, looking between the prince and Gladio when Noctis stood abruptly.</p><p>“Noctis, what are you─” Ignis began, only to be cut off.</p><p>“I refuse to just sit here while you’re being treated like this, Ignis,” Noctis informed him firmly, opening the door before another word could be said. “Hey, Hath!”</p><p>Ignis paled, standing so abruptly that his chair toppled to the floor behind him as he made his way around the desk and out of his office. Ignis could see Hath’s face, a pleasant enough smile, but the fire behind his eyes burned bright as Noctis told him to continue to give Ignis his normal amount of work, that he would personally assure that his advisor would handle it with ease. A tight quirk of Hath’s lips revealed his silent displeasure, though he didn’t say anything more than <em> “Of course, your Highness.” </em> </p><p>Ignis had a sinking feeling that he would see the repercussions of Noctis’ meddling, no matter how good natured a place it had come from. Things were still tense for Ignis at the Citadel offices, but it had all been set aside temporarily in the moment that they were busy, but this was likely to backfire on him. The sharp-edged glare Hath shot Ignis’ way was all the confirmation he needed: this was far from over.</p><p>A handful of minutes later, Noctis and Gladio bid their farewells and left, leaving Ignis with his mountain of paperwork to be filed and filled out. After what felt like an eternity, Ignis finished the last of what was on his desk, the office having long gone quiet since the sun had set over the horizon. He gathered his briefcase, walking to the elevator and pressing the button to summon it. As Ignis waited, he thought more about Nyx’s offer to move in with him and Crowe. It honestly wasn’t a terrible idea and it was something he had hoped to be able to do, anyhow.</p><p><em> I have the day after tomorrow off, I’ll simply tell Nyx yes then, </em> Ignis thought wearily as the elevator dinged and the doors slid open. He pressed the button for the ground floor, leaning back against the far wall as he tried to figure out everything he’d need to do to move his things. Before Ignis knew it, he was already arriving home, barely registering the drive as he neatly parked his car around the corner from his building, passing by several groups still loitering. Ignis barely gave any of them a passing glance as he made his way to the front door. A few slurs were hurled in his direction, which Ignis pointedly ignored until he was suddenly struck in his arm.</p><p>Dropping his briefcase, Ignis turned to see several men converging on him with wicked grins. Ignis bunched his hands into fists as adrenaline coursed through him, helping him to ignore the pain screaming from his right arm as he moved it. One guy in a dirty t-shirt and rumpled jeans had a bat, beside him was a shorter man with salt and pepper hair holding a wicked-looking knife in a closed first, while the final person was obviously younger than Ignis and inexperienced in any sort of altercation since he simply fisted his own hands and held a wide open stance.</p><p>“You dirty bastard. What’s a filthy Donator like you doin’ in the Citadel still?” Salt-and-Pepper spat at Ignis, gritting his teeth as the other two tried to circle Ignis.</p><p>Ignis didn’t bother answering, instead attacking the youngest of the three in hopes to eliminate him from a scuffle early on to bring the fight down to a two-on-one. He struck out with his leg, the guy blocking it as he took a step back. In response, Ignis dropped low to strike his legs and simultaneously avoid another strike of the bat as he heard footsteps from behind him. With a sweep, Ignis knocked the feet out from under the younger man, who landed on the ground with an audible <em> oof </em> before Ignis was kicked in the back.</p><p>“So this little pet has some fight in him?” the one with the bat growled out, kicking at Ignis again, who managed to roll out of the way. “Guess we’ll have to teach him a lesson.”</p><p><em> Dodge, move, get up. </em>Ignis thought simply to himself as the other two men moved in on him, the youngest struggling to get air back in his lungs after the hard fall. Ignis stood up again quickly, his back against a car. He had to find a way to get help, but the people who had been loitering nearby had all scattered, he was on his own with no way to reach his phone.</p><p>The bat came swinging downward at Ignis’ head and he moved to the side, only to be cut off by Salt-and-Pepper who jabbed a hand forward. Ignis deflected it without thinking, only to realize that it had been a feint, a distraction from the hand with the knife. A sharp pain erupted from Ignis’ gut as he realized the knife had been plunged into his middle. He could feel blood soak into his shirt as the knife was removed and quickly plunged back in twice more. Ignis was in shock and pain, his mind blanking out for a moment as his clothes quickly absorbed the blood that was running down his body. He had gone numb, feeling the bat strike him in the face and send his glasses flying off as he was thrown to the ground. Ignis’ body was screaming, his head feeling like it was being split open violently, as the rush from the adrenaline was fading, leaving him paralyzed with pain as the two men converged on him, kicking and screaming obscenities. At some point the youngest of them had gotten up and joined in, but by that point Ignis could barely breathe without feeling like his chest were on fire. The world slowly drew back to a pinprick as his body grew cold, despite the sticky warmth of his blood that was quickly pooling around him while it became even harder to draw breath. Somewhere he heard sirens and the rapidly fading footsteps of feet, but Ignis couldn’t bring himself to care, he was just so tired…</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Darkness and pain were the first thing that Ignis was aware of. He had no idea how long he wandered in the seemingly endless shadow before he recognized the rhythmic sounds of beeping and the muffled noise of far-off conversation. Opening his eyes slowly, Ignis realized he was lying in a hospital room, his arm in a sling. How had he gotten there? The last thing he remembered was─</p><p>He tried to sit up quickly as the beeping sound quickened, only to be struck by a searing pain that caused him to cry out. He put a hand to his stomach, feeling a warmth begin to spread beneath his palm. When he pulled it back, Ignis noticed that his fingers were reddened with blood. A thumping noise and shaky gasp reached his ears, seeing Nyx once Ignis’ eyes looked toward the source of the noise.</p><p>Nyx ran to the door and opened it, shouting, “Nurse, he’s awake!”</p><p>Ignis was barely aware of what was going on beyond his pain. His right arm was useless, meanwhile his insides felt as though they had been replaced with fire. When he felt hands on him, Ignis couldn’t help but struggle against them when they tried to hold him down, his brain screaming <b> <em>RUN!</em> </b> as loudly as it could until the room began to swirl as the darkness closed in again.</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>The next time Ignis rose from the groggy mist of sleep, he didn’t feel much better. After a time, vague memories of his first waking resurfaced. He tried to look around, groaning when he tried to take a deep breath and felt a flare of pain, catching Nyx sitting in the chair as he flipped through the channels on the hospital room television.</p><p>“Ignis?” Nyx asked at his groan, immediately putting down the remote to focus on him instead.</p><p>“Where am I?” Ignis asked, turning his head to look at Nyx as he attempted to sit up.</p><p>“No no no, just stay like that!” Nyx warned. “The last time you tried to move around, the doctors had to put you under to fix the stitches you tore. Gimme a second, I have to let the nurses know you’re awake again.”</p><p>Ignis nodded as he tried to assess the damage to his body. He was certainly still sore, but he could tell that his pain had also been dulled. Ignis noted that his right arm had been immobilized, his chest had muted pains whenever his breaths were too deep, his stomach felt tight in several places, and his organs felt as though they had been put through a blender and the resulting slush had been poured back in. When Nyx came back, he immediately rushed to Ignis’ side, looking between him and the doctor that had accompanied him in.</p><p>“Mr. Scientia, my name is Dr. Baker. Do you remember anything that happened to you?” the doctor said, getting out a small penlight and flashing it at Ignis’ eyes… or more accurately <em> eye </em>, since it seemed that his left had swollen completely shut.</p><p>“Ummm,” Ignis hummed, trying to remember when his head began to pound, which caused him to use his uninjured hand to rub at his temple. “It’s all fuzzy. I remember going home, but nothing more besides feeling cold?”</p><p>“That sounds about right for your condition,” Dr. Baker replied, nodding. “You were assaulted, though your assailants escaped. You suffered a cracked upper arm, two broken ribs, a moderate concussion, bruising, three stab wounds to the abdomen with minimal organ damage, serious bruising to your cheek and jaw, as well as a black eye.” Here the doctor sighed, putting his light back into his coat pocket. “I have no idea how you didn’t break your jaw, or lose your life. You’re lucky to be here, Mr. Scientia; it seems you have the Astrals’ favor.”</p><p>“How long have I been here, doctor?” Ignis asked, attempting to sit up slowly, despite Nyx’s fussing about <em> being careful </em>.</p><p>“Probably about four days. Please don’t try to sit, you’ll put pressure on your wounds and do more damage,” Dr. Baker told him, marking something in a tan folder as he made sure Ignis laid back down. “We’ll have to take an additional MRI and some blood tests to make sure you’re recovering properly, among other things. You will be in inpatient for at least another week <em> minimum </em> before you leave this hospital.</p><p>“I do have other news for you,” the doctor continued with a smirk as he walked over to open the door. “You have some very important guests. The king, prince, and their Shields have come to visit you, though they’ll only be coming in two at a time.”</p><p>Ignis’ eyes went wide as the doctor waved in Noctis and Gladio, the former who immediately began talking as soon as he entered the room.</p><p>“Specs!” Noctis cried, taking in Ignis’ appearance. “You look like you got the shit beat out of you!”</p><p>“Language, Noct,” Ignis chastised, wincing at how loud the prince was being, “and if you could lower your volume, it would be greatly appreciated.”</p><p>“Six, Iggy, how bad do the other guys look?” Gladio piped in, looking him over, as well.</p><p>“Not a clue,” Ignis replied. “It seems that they have managed to avoid apprehension and are still on the run from officials.”</p><p>Gladio scoffed angrily at that answer, crossing his arms in frustration.</p><p>“I’ll talk to my old man about what we can do to look into it,” Noctis swore, his brows furrowing. “There’s gotta be cameras or <em> something </em> that caught what happened!”</p><p>“I barely remember what happened, if I’m telling the truth,” Ignis admitted, wincing as he took a deep breath and a sharp pain shot through him.</p><p>“You ok?” Gladio asked quickly, taking a step forward at the action.</p><p>“It hurts to breathe,” Ignis said with a grimace. “A few broken ribs would do that to a person.”</p><p>“Ifrit’s balls, Ignis─” Noctis scoffed. “─at least <em> try </em> to take it easy while you’re in here?”</p><p>“I certainly shall,” Ignis called as the two exited the room to be replaced by Regis and Clarus.</p><p>“Ignis, it’s good to hear that you’re finally awake,” Regis said in greeting, smiling. “It’s an honor to receive a visit from you, your majesty. I doubt there was much room in as demanding a schedule as yours to allow this.” Ignis replied, nodding his head respectfully.</p><p>Regis simply continued. “Now Ignis, you should know I see you like a son. Meetings can be rescheduled, but you need support from family now.” Here the smile fell with a tired sigh. “I do have to trouble you with answering a few questions, so long as you remember what happened?”</p><p>“I’m afraid that I’m of no use, then.” Ignis frowned. “I’ve no memory of what happened during the incident, bar that I was heading home.”</p><p>“That will do for now,” Clarus interjected. “I’ll look into the building’s security cameras and see if there’s any footage we may be able to retrieve.”</p><p>“In the meantime,” Regis continued, “you’ll be off for three months recovery, during which time you’ll be moved to a more secure location. There have been too many times where you’ve been attacked or harassed, and I intend to put as much of an end on it as possible.”</p><p><em> “Three months?” </em> Ignis gasped, mouth as wide open as his face would allow for without twinges of pain. “But, your excellency, what about─”</p><p>“Your job will still be there at the end of it, Ignis, I assure you.” Regis snorted, shaking his head. “View this as a <em> forced vacation, </em> if you will. You’ve given enough service over your lifetime to warrant one.”</p><p>“Does he have to live alone?” Nyx chimed in, looking between Regis and his Shield.</p><p>“Of course not,” the king answered with a grin. “If you’re willing to move in and help Ignis with the recovery, then I see no reason why you shouldn’t. I’m assuming that’s why you asked?”</p><p>“I─y-yes, your highness,” Nyx stammered, hastily nodding. “I live with someone, though. If I left…” Nyx swallowed, forging on. “If I left, she’d lose her home.”</p><p>“So long as she passes a background check, like you did, then she’d be fine to move in too, so long as she assisted with the recovery,” Clarus informed as the doctor left the room quietly.</p><p>“Unfortunately, I can’t stay longer─” Regis sighed “─but someone will be by soon to collect a statement for anything you remember. Try to take it easy while you recover, Ignis.”</p><p>At that, Regis stood to make his way out the door, Clarus following close behind.</p><p> </p><p>~One week later~</p><p> </p><p>Ignis slowly walked out the doors of the hospital towards where Cor waited inside a Kingsglaive-issued car. Nyx walked behind, almost like a mother chocobo with her newly-hatched chick. As much as Ignis knew it came from a place of love and worry, it bothered him. He may have been assaulted, but he was moving <em> fine, </em> albeit slowly; so long as he took his time, the doctors assured him that he would make a full recovery. As Nyx opened the door, Ignis sighed. <em> Am I to endure three more months of this? </em> He thought to himself before sliding in with a wince.</p><p>“Are you─” Cor began, although Nyx cut him off.</p><p>“Are you ok?” Nyx asked.</p><p>“I’m <em> fine </em>, don’t worry.” Ignis insisted to both men, moreso to Nyx. “I simply moved too quickly.”</p><p>Nyx looked worried, but moved to sit down as well, shutting the door behind him so Cor could bring them to their new home.</p><p>“I’ve been in contact with Miss Altius,” Cor informed them with a small smirk. “She has already moved all the belongings to your new home.”</p><p>Nyx snorted. “Of<em> course </em> she did, bet she refused help, too. She’ll deny it all day, but Crowe’s more of a showoff than <em> I </em>am.”</p><p>The drive was long, giving Ignis time to think. What would he do with <em> three months </em> of forced time-off for recovery? The inactivity would surely drive him mad long before it ended. Although it <em> would </em> give him time to finish up a few personal work projects that he kept in his filing cabinet in his old apartment…</p><p>Before they knew it, the car was parked and it was time to get out. The house was small, likely just two bedrooms and built for minimal living─after all, it wasn’t made for comfort, but functionality and basics. When Ignis, Nyx, and Cor walked through the front door, they were met by two Crownsguard soldiers keeping watch. They saluted Ignis and Cor, then went back to watching over the house. Crowe was lounging on the couch reading a magazine before she looked up.</p><p>“Ignis, it’s good to see you walking around!” she greeted with a fanged smile.</p><p>“It’s good to finally be out of that hospital,” Ignis replied with an answering smile, taken by surprise when Crowe enveloped him in a careful hug. </p><p>“Everything has been moved in here from both houses. Your room is tight, but we managed to cram everything in there.” Crowe turned her head slightly to whisper in his ear. “I don’t think our guards are happy about being around Vampires, though.”</p><p>When she pulled back, her smile remained just as big, acting as though she hadn’t said anything at all, and Ignis followed suit. That would be a problem, though it was almost unsurprising. The Guard and Glaive seemed pretty split on who liked Vampires and who didn’t, but so long as they did their job, there shouldn’t be a problem…</p><p>It was gonna be a long three months.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>~~Three Months Later~~</p><p> </p><p>The ride up the elevator felt abnormally long, allowing Ignis to reminisce about his time off. At one point, he had been caught red-handed, Nyx walking in as he had been working through laws and political projects for the prince. It had resulted in a heated argument that had given Ignis a new hobby, much to Nyx’s relief: he had begun to read.</p><p>So far, Ignis had spent his time perusing non-fiction. Books like <em> The History of Tenebrae and Her Lineage </em> , or <em> Of Olden Kings: A Series on the Lucis Caelums </em> ─which held numerous volumes, with multiple books dedicated to each Old King and their tales of how they achieved their status─and even the controversial tome <em> A Heretic's Word: Customs and Beliefs Before the Astrals </em>. That final one had been the most interesting to explore, seeing as most considered the ancient practices as “savage” and “barbaric” since they contained information on old sacrificial and blood rituals.</p><p>When the elevator dinged, Ignis walked down the busy hallway to the meeting room that was often used by the Council. King Regis and Shield Clarus were to be the only occupants in it, the reason they were to talk being that Ignis needed to catch up on the specific tasks that had beset his branch of the office. The tension of the room could be cut with a butter knife, it was so palpable, and with a deep breath, he opened the door.</p><p>“Greetings, Ignis. I wish we had time to talk more, but I need to keep this brief,” Regis said with a frown, gesturing with a hand to indicate that Ignis should sit in the empty chair across from him. “Several laws are being put into effect that will affect Vampires to allow them more rights. It’s caused the entire Citadel and Council to rework other areas of law, and put in systems to help assure that would allow the new Vampire Protections acts to transition as seamlessly as possible.”</p><p>Ignis blinked in shock. How much had been managed by Regis while he had been away? Three months wasn’t a lot of time to change many things and yet the king had managed to enact<em> several </em> laws that would, hopefully, improve the lives of Vampires all over Insomnia─he could hardly believe it! Yet there he sat, listening to Regis as he quickly rattled off the details of what he had missed. In the end, Ignis felt tired, but ready to resume his work.</p><p>“You’ve already been assigned a temp secretary to assist you in getting paperwork at your desk. He will also be running your own documents to other offices and floors,” Regis informed at the end of his speech. “He might not be able to help with <em> everything, </em> but he’s been assigned to you in the hopes of lightening your load at least a little.”</p><p>With that, Ignis was dismissed to his office. His temp secretary turned out to be a young man who has strikingly bright blue eyes and red hair, a smattering of freckles peeking out from under his hastily misbuttoned shirt. Ignis held back a smirk. It reminded him of when he had first started work at the office─getting used to a new schedule in an unfamiliar environment had left him nervous and fidgety.</p><p>“Hello,” Ignis said with a kind and welcoming smile. “My name is Ignis Scientia. Am I to assume you’re my new secretary?”</p><p>“Y-yes, sir!” The man said, jerking his head stiffly up and down. “My name is Jason Johnson, Mr. Scientia, sir! Most people just call me JJ, though!”</p><p>“Well, JJ, I look forward─”</p><p>Just then, a large stack of paper was dropped onto a nearby desk by a woman with a curt “fill these” tacked on before she left, arms still laden with manilla envelopes. With that, Ignis and JJ began their work. Ignis would request JJ to run to the offices along the floor as he himself would send out emails to request duplicates to be made of what he filled out. The hours both flew by and dragged on at the same time and the two kept up that pace for a week. It felt as though he could never make enough progress. If anything, Ignis became more bogged-down with files and folders as the days wore on. He had just set down his pen to dismiss JJ from his post to eat when an alarm blared overhead, spouting <em> “Code 32” </em> in an automated voice.</p><p>“JJ,” Ignis said calmly as he opened his office door, people rushing by with panicked faces, “I need you to get in my office right now. I’m about to lock the door and won’t be back until I make sure the staircase is firmly locked down. Whatever happens, whatever you hear, you must stay <em> silent </em>.”</p><p>JJ nodded mutely, his face drained of all color as he rushed into the office. With that, Ignis shut and locked the door firmly, moving quickly to secure the stairs. If the alarm was going off, then that meant that the elevator was already shut down. In all the years he had been in service to the crown, Ignis had only been in a <em> Code 32 </em> about five times and, even then, only one had resulted in immediate danger. A <em> Code 32 </em> was only issued if someone had broken through into a building with any member of the royal family. Regis must have still been in the building if the code had been called, since Noctis was currently taking classes at school.</p><p>The stairs were just ahead. No one had switched the high-security deadbolts over yet. They weren’t anything complicated, but a lock at both the top and bottom of the door, anchoring it into the wall and ceiling, did a fair amount to deter intruders─or at least allowed more people to shelter themselves in relative safety. Ignis cursed his body, if only he were more recovered, then he could stand with the Crownsguard that were stationed in the building… but he couldn’t think about that now, he needed to get out of the way and allow security to do their job.</p><p>Ignis rushed back to his office, slipping through the door silently and relocking it before hiding behind his desk with JJ. Ignis messaged Nyx, telling him that he loved him and that he should avoid the Citadel or, if he were in their home, to lock the doors and follow the instructions of the Crownsguard and inform them of a <em> Code 32 </em> . Once that was done, Ignis opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out two daggers, handing one to a trembling JJ. It wasn’t long before the sound of someone trying to break through the door to the stairs rang through the silent floor. All Ignis could think about was how useless he was with only one arm. Sure, the Crownsguard assigned to that sector could handle anything that entered it, but the fact that <em> he </em> couldn’t was what bothered him most.</p><p>Sounds of fighting hit his ears, mixed with JJ’s fast breathing and quiet whimpers of fear. Ignis leaned the back of his occupied hand against JJ’s shoulder in an attempt to calm the man, but it didn’t seem to make an ounce of difference. All Ignis could hear were the voices and how they were getting louder with each passing second. How many people were there? How did they get  this far? Obviously, they were going floor-by-floor and had little information: Regis was higher up in the building and could easily be accessed by the stairs, even if the door needed a passcode.</p><p><em> “Spread out, he’s supposed to be on this floor!” </em> shouted a male voice nearby, followed by noises of agreement.</p><p>What happened to the Crownsguard? Were they killed? There was no way, the Guard trained for situations <em> just </em>like these, just how big was the group? Ignis didn’t have long to wonder before the sound of a door being kicked in, alongside a woman’s screams of terror, jarred him from his thoughts. Only a moment after, Ignis’ office door was smashed open, causing JJ to yell in fear as Ignis readied his blade to defend himself and JJ. Ignis stood just as the footsteps neared his desk, turning so that he could attack, when he saw a woman with tear tracks and snot running down her face as a masked man dragged her around by her hair.</p><p>“Don’t even fucking think about it,” the man said gruffly, pressing a knife of his own to the woman’s throat, causing her to squeak between the pain and the fear. “Follow me, or this walking blood sack is gonna bleed all over the floor. And don’t think I can’t smell the guy next to you who just pissed his pants.”</p><p>JJ stood then, legs shaking so hard that Ignis was surprised he didn’t collapse onto the floor. As they walked, Ignis saw that all the doors had been forced open, though they were all empty. It was likely because Ignis’ office lay toward the end of a small hallway, allowing for some feeling of privacy despite the Citadel’s bustle.</p><p>Everyone had been gathered in the main shared office, a small section of cubicle having been manually shoved to the side to make more room for the captives, most of whom seemed to be as panicked as JJ. Ignis and the one other council member─who just so happened to be Hath─were the only two that had any sort of composure, the only sign of Hath’s distress being that his teeth were bared in anger or frustration. Nearby, a woman laughed, removing her mask entirely.</p><p>“Does the little blood bag have fangs?” she chuckled, baring her own fangs in return. “I bet mine are bigger.”</p><p>“Stop playing with your food and put your damn mask back on. There’s cameras everywhere!” barked the man that Ignis and JJ had been escorted by before turning back to the two of them. “You two sit down and shut up. If you all cooperate, then nobody else gets hurt.”</p><p>JJ’s knees chose that exact moment to collapse, then man beginning to hyperventilate as Ignis sat down beside him. Within moments, the woman─who still hadn’t put her mask back on─marched over to JJ, grabbing his face roughly between her thumb and forefinger to force him to look at her.</p><p>“If you don’t stop making noise now,” she began, mouth twisting in displeasure, “then I’m going to rip out your throat and <em> make </em> you silent.”</p><p>JJ had barely managed to start trying to plead for his life, when his eyes rolled into the back of his head, lids fluttering shut as his body went slack and the woman dropped him to the floor.</p><p>“Glad that’s out of the way.” The woman sighed, stretching her arms upward as the first man walked rolled his eyes and coughed.</p><p>“We’re only here for one of you. Give him up, and everybody else can live to see tomorrow,” the man informed as he twirled his knife absently. “Now, which one of you sorry bastards is Ignis Scientia?”</p><p>“What the hell do you want <em> him </em> for?” Hath bit out, earning little more than a kick to the face in answer.</p><p>“One more time,” the man continued, pointing his knife at the group this time, “we want Ignis Scientia. If I have to ask again, then one of you are gonna be heading out in a body bag.”</p><p>“Him! It’s him!” yelled one person, but before Ignis could identify who it was he had gotten yanked off the floor by his hair as the woman traced his features with a twisted smile.</p><p>“Mmmm,” she hummed, “he’ll do nicely. Congratulations, Ignis, you get to be my new plaything.”</p><p>It was the last thing Ignis heard before a cloth was quickly placed over his mouth and the room began to darken, head spinning before darkness engulfed him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Ignis’ eyes opened, he was still surrounded by a choking darkness. Not only that, but he was painfully sore. He has no room to stretch out, having been shoved into something small, forcing his limbs to press close against his body. Each time he was jostled, the movement caused by something outside─<em> A road? </em> Ignis wondered, recognizing the sounds of a car─sent shooting pain through his body as his injured arm reminded him that it didn’t appreciate being put in its current position. He managed to catch the sound  of garbled voices, but was unable to decipher what exactly they were saying. They all sounded vaguely familiar in tone─as far as Ignis could tell when he wasn’t being made to listen to the screaming pain from his arm.</p><p>Ignis didn’t know how long he had been imprisoned─only able to focus on the sound of his own breath in his ear, feeling fear creep into his soul at waking up in such a confined space─when loud noises erupted above him and his container was maneuvered seemingly without thought of its contents. His body jerked with the force of being dropped down suddenly, and he couldn’t help his cry of pain as he was slung about as if weightless. Ignis had no doubt that whoever was handling him knew that he had been shoved into his container, but they obviously didn’t care to be gentle.</p><p>When the top of his impromptu cage was thrown open, Ignis was blinded by light before being promptly yanked from the container, which, after rapidly blinking as his eyes adjusted to the light, turned out to be an old steamer trunk. Ignis didn’t have long to wonder about his surroundings before he was dragged to a wall and shackled to it by chains.</p><p>“Welcome to your new home,” said a woman’s voice before Ignis’s consciousness became filled with all-encompassing <em> pain </em>.</p><p>He writhed in agony, fighting against his restraints as much as he could manage, and saw Nyx being dragged in as he fought against their captor’s grasp. He watched through blurred vision when he was chained against the opposite wall. Nyx jumped back onto his feet not even a moment later, running at the other vampires that had kidnapped them both, only to be violently jerked back when the slack ran out.</p><p>“Make yourselves comfortable,” the woman nearly crooned, making her way to Ignis. She took his face between two of her fingers as if handling a particularly entertaining animal. “Can’t have you too hurt, need something to do when I come back later.”</p><p>With that, she pinched her fingers together until his mouth opened, leveraging the joint in his jaw to force his cooperation. After biting her other wrist, she put her mouth over Ignis’ and forced the blood into his mouth, ignoring his muffled cry of horror as he was forced to drink. </p><p>Almost immediately, his stomach churned and the taste of iron coating his tongue did nothing to help the feeling. At first, his body tried to reject the blood he had consumed─his chest tightened and every breath felt like fire─until, slowly, exhaustion pulled at him. Ignis was confused─he had been asleep for an undetermined amount of time and was now drunk on pain─but he was too weak to fight it as the darkness closed in again.</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>When Ignis’ eyes opened again, he felt invigorated. It was like all his aches and pains had disappeared and his body was refreshed. However, now he was in a new room alone. For a moment he panicked, before reminding himself that he needed to <em> keep </em>his wits, not lose them. Pushing past his fear, Ignis found that he wasn’t chained to anything. Past that, there were no windows and the door was locked from the outside. No matter where he looked, the room was barren, devoid of anything but still air.</p><p>There was no way to tell how many hours had passed [since when?] in the plain room and all Ignis could do was pace, though it did nothing to still his mind. <em> Where am I? Where is Nyx? Is he ok? </em> were the main thoughts that consumed him. The only break in the anxiety-inducing monotony that was his captivity had been the time the door had been opened. A few slices of plain bread and a bottle of water had been all that got tossed in, allowing Ignis a brief peek at a switch on a wall and nothing more.</p><p>Since he hadn’t eaten in what felt like at least a day, Ignis had devoured the bread and gulped down the water, only to realize that he didn’t know when the next scraps of food, if any, would be thrown in the room again. He tried not to be angry with himself, but the frustration was hard to hold back. </p><p>
  <em> I hope Nyx is ok… </em>
</p><p>At some point, Ignis’ eyes began to droop. He searched for the most comfortable-looking corner and sat down, leaning against the wall and closing his eyes. It wasn’t long, however, before he woke up to loud banging. Ignis jumped up instinctively, though he was still groggy from his fitful sleep. Since he was now wide awake thanks to adrenaline, Ignis found himself pacing again due to a lack of options for activity. The lights were still on, though Ignis had no idea of the time. It felt like late at night or early in the morning, but the lack of a clock or windows made it hard to confirm. No more bread or water had been thrown in while he slept, but the empty bottle that he had drunk was removed.</p><p>Ignis eventually settled back down in the corner and closed his eyes, only to be woken again by the slam of a door just as he began drifting off. Why couldn’t he just get some rest? That was all he wanted at the moment that could be feasibly attained. What felt like days went by with little difference; sleep deprivation, hunger, and thirst becoming his lone and unwanted companions in that lonely room. Occasionally, more bread and water were thrown into the room, but it was rare.</p><p>Ignis gradually began to feel weaker and weaker, living on whatever his captors felt enough of their rare generosity to give him food. He eventually gave up on his pacing in exchange for simply sitting in a corner and trying to sleep away his hunger, but that was never much of an escape. It was like his captors always knew when he drifted off, beating on the door or making other forms of racket to keep him awake and exhausted.</p><p>After some unknown period of time, a gruff-looking vampire came into the room and grabbed Ignis’ arm, not bothering to speak or wait for him to stand before yanking him up sharply, his shoulder screaming from the sudden and unwanted movement. He was led out the door and down a small hall just to be thrown in another room. It looked leagues better than the one he had been stuck in for gods-knows-how-long, but his anxiety did not diminish. A table with some food sat in the middle of the room, along with two chairs, one of them occupied by a woman. Something in Ignis’ mind told him that he should look at her, but he ignored it in favor of staring at the food longingly as his stomach growled. A light laugh caused his head to whip up to see her laughing as she swirled a wine glass.</p><p>“You sound starved, Ignis,” she said with amusement before sipping at her glass, motioning to the table as she took a step forward. “Please, eat with me.”</p><p>Ignis watched her suspiciously as they both sat. How did she get his name? She smiled in silence as he obeyed before nodding at the food, then his plate.</p><p>“Aren’t you hungry? Don’t humans eat this stuff,” she asked curiously, “or are you worried it’s poisoned?”</p><p>“I’m more worried about why I’m here,” Ignis started, “and where the other person who was captured with me is.”</p><p>“Eat and I’ll humor you with some answers.”</p><p>Gritting his teeth, Ignis put a few things onto his plate. Some things were outright raw, whereas others were poorly seasoned, but after being starved, he wasn’t going to be picky unless it would make him sick. After carefully eating a few things, the woman began talking again.</p><p>“The other man is here, but you shouldn’t worry about him, he was captured by mistake. He’ll be disposed of.”</p><p>At this, Ignis stiffened, looking up sharply. The woman smiled, placing her wine glass down and resting her chin across bridged fingers. It had been an involuntary reaction, but the fear he felt was very real. She was going to kill Nyx? What could he do to save him?</p><p>“Should I not?” she asked innocently, contradicting the wicked smile still on her face. “He’s been yelling your name so much that his voice has gone out and we were forced to put him to sleep.”</p><p>With a simple wave and command to a nearby guard, an unconscious Nyx was brought in and dropped carelessly on the floor. Ignis stood quickly, knocking his chair over. Nyx’s hands were bruised and bloody as though he had lashed out at anything and everything within reach, however, hollowed cheeks and unhealthily pale skin revealed that Nyx had been starved, too.</p><p>“If you cooperate, nobody has to get hurt,” the woman informed, draining her glass of its contents.</p><p>“What do you want?”</p><p>“Tell me how to get to your prince and you can both leave.”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>The answer came immediately and without thought. Noctis was the last of his line, and Regis had sworn that he could never remarry. Besides that, he could never betray one of his closest friends, even if it meant sacrificing his life and Nyx’ to prevent all of Insomnia from falling into the chaos that the end of the monarchy would cause. He knew it was the wrong response, with or without watching how her brows furrowed and a fire sprang into her eyes as she slowly stood.</p><p>“Excuse me?” she growled.</p><p>“I refuse to betray the crown for you.”</p><p>She threw the table to the side, glass shattering against the wall and turning the frame of it to scrap. Baring her teeth, she lunged at Ignis and he was helpless to defend himself. He was pinned down next to Nyx, who barely even stirred at what was going on around him. The door slammed open and two men charged in, looking around the room quickly until they spotted the three of them on the floor.</p><p>“Take Nyx to his room”─<em> She already knew his name! </em> Ignis realized in alarm─“and chain him back, I’m not through with this one.”</p><p>“But Astrid, we’ve been told─” began one of the men, but the woman whipped her head to look at him.</p><p>“I don’t give a <em> damn </em> what you’ve been told! <em> I’m </em> in charge here and you’ll do as I say!”</p><p>Ignis’ heart pounded loudly in his chest. This woman, Astrid, was one of the people who had taken him at the Citadel. He should have recognized her sooner, but between his hunger and exhaustion, his brain hadn’t been able to make the connection. As one man started dragging Nyx back out, he began to regain consciousness, struggling when he saw that Ignis was in danger.</p><p>“If you don’t let them take you right now, I’ll snap his neck myself!” Astrid yelled as she stared straight at Nyx, baring her fangs and putting a hand around Ignis’ throat at the same time, squeezing warningly.</p><p>At the threat, Nyx allowed himself to be dragged out, glaring at Astrid with hatred before glancing at Ignis with eyes full of pain. Ignis pushed at her feebly as his lungs began to burn from a lack of oxygen. Panic hit as it got worse, thinking that she might have changed her mind about killing him later until her fingers loosened and he coughed, gasping for air. Suddenly, Astrid bit into his shoulder roughly, tearing the skin as she began to drink his blood. Ignis struggled beneath her to no avail as she drank greedily before pulling back, a stream of his blood trailing from her mouth.</p><p>“Consider that a warning,” she told him as she stood, wiping at the blood with a thumb. “The less information you give, the more I’m going to enjoy myself.”</p><p>Bending over, she grabbed Ignis by his hair and started dragging him before he could get his feet under him. Astrid threw him back into his empty room before slamming the door shut and locking it, leaving him alone in the room to wonder after his fate.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Ignis first heard Nyx’s cries of pain, his blood ran cold. As they turned to screams, he began pacing in an attempt to drown it out with the monotony of the motion, though it made no difference. The sound bounced off the walls until it became nothing more than an inescapable melody of anguish. No matter what Ignis did, he couldn’t escape it, even when Nyx had long since gone silent. At some point, bread and water had been tossed into his room, but he couldn’t bring himself to eat. Every time he tried to take a bite of the long-since stale bread, his stomach would churn, mind echoing with Nyx’s earlier screams.</p><p>The next time he heard them, Ignis curled up in a corner and covered his ears, tears flowing from his eyes. If only there were something he could <em> do! </em> There was no way out, no exit besides the way he came in, and even if he could find one, he had no idea where Nyx even <em> was. </em> Ignis fell asleep with his eyes squeezed shut, whispering <em> “I’m sorry” </em> over and over until unconsciousness took him.</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>Ignis woke up at the noise of the door being flung open. He shot upright, seeing Astrid stride into the room as she licked blood from her fingers. He paled, realizing that it could well have been <em> Nyx’s. </em> He stood, readying himself for whatever was to come, when another person walked in behind her carrying a chair, rope, and something wrapped in cloth. The door was shut behind them.</p><p>“Just set it somewhere over there, it’s not like he has anywhere to run,” she said with a dark chuckle, waving to the nearby corner without looking.</p><p>That’s when it hit Ignis: torture. They had been <em> torturing </em> Nyx─that’s what had been causing his screams─and the air left Ignis’ lungs so quickly he felt dizzy. What had they done to Nyx? What were they going to do to <em> him </em>? Astrid was right about one thing, though: he had nowhere to run or hide, but he’d be damned if he wouldn’t put up a struggle. </p><p>When she moved to grab him, Ignis fought… or well, he tried. Starvation and lack of sleep had weakened him, but there was still some strength left in him. Hand-to-hand wasn’t his specialty, but when Ignis hit her with an undercut, Astrid stumbled back, allowing him to slip around and nearly make it to the door before she grabbed the collar of his shirt and slung him into the chair, knocking it to the ground with him.</p><p>“Tie him up.”</p><p>Astrid opened the door again, grabbing a stool and placing it in front of Ignis as he struggled against his restraints. Placing the cloth on it, opening it up as she did so, revealed that an assortment of tools had been wrapped up in the fabric. Ignis tried not to look at it, attempting to swallow past the lump forming in his throat─<em> Maybe that’s my heart, </em> Ignis thought with dark amusement. <em> After all, it </em> feels <em> as though it’s jumped into there. </em></p><p>“You don’t mind if my friend and I ask you a few questions, do you?” Astrid said, picking up a knife and examining the edge.</p><p>Ignis remained silent, his lips forming into a tight line.</p><p>“I thought not! Now,” she began, looking up from the knife to Ignis, “how do I get to the prince?”</p><p>Ignis refused to answer.</p><p>“How do I get past his guard?”</p><p>Silence.</p><p>“Oh no!” she gasped. “If you don’t answer, then I suppose I’ll have to persuade you.”</p><p>The knife shot toward Ignis’ throat, causing him to gasp as the edge bit into his skin and he felt a trickle of blood snake down his neck.</p><p>“Same questions. Answer them.”</p><p>Ignis swallowed, but otherwise was quiet. The knife was removed, only to slice slowly through his pants and into the flesh beneath. He could feel the blood flow out as he grit his teeth against the pain, refusing to even give her the satisfaction of knowing how much it hurt. It became that much harder to maintain when his other leg was given the same treatment.</p><p>It went on for what felt like hours. She’d ask about the Glaive and Guard, places to sneak in, where to find the prince, amongst other things. Ignis wouldn’t answer, he refused to betray his friends and family. His head hung down, unable to hold it up any longer as his fatigue only grew. The blade made one final cut before Astrid pulled it away.</p><p>“That’s enough for now, but before I leave…”</p><p>Ignis heard her walk around behind him, felt something wrap around one of his fingers, before hearing a resounding <em> CRACK! </em> He couldn’t help but scream as she did it again. How could he when Astrid had broken his fingers? He was still tied to the chair when she left him, cold sweat beading on his skin as he could already tell there was swelling. Ignis drifted in and out of consciousness, everything turning into a haze as time ceased to exist. </p><p>When Astrid came through the door again, it felt like he hadn’t slept at all. She didn’t bring anything with her this time, but Ignis had no doubt that she had something up her sleeve. The questions remained the same, although there were a few random ones thrown in to try and throw him off. He remained just as quiet as before. Each refusal was met with physical force, namely a fist to his face. At one point Ignis blacked out, though Astrid simply threw ice-cold water on him, which shocked him back awake before it started all over again. When Astrid left and came back a third time, she sighed in frustration.</p><p>“Y’know, you’re making this harder than it has to,” she stated simply. “The other guy is just about dead and you could honestly save him.” Astrid paused before her face lit up. “Actually…”</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>Ignis was dragged limply into another room. Astrid had gotten one of the other vampires to grab him so she could bring him to whatever new torture awaited him, though he couldn’t believe what he saw. Nyx lay on the floor, bruised, bloodied, and chained to the wall. He barely had any color, and his eyes were shut, chest scarcely moving.</p><p>“If you want him to live, I’d get him to drink,” Astrid suggested. “He’s refused everything since you two got here. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if he were actually on death’s door.”</p><p>The man who held Ignis dragged him to Nyx’s still body, dropping him unceremoniously onto the floor. Ignis pulled himself over to Nyx with nearly numb hands, panic welling up in his chest. Without thinking, he unbuttoned his shirt clumsily, hissing as his broken fingers screamed with every movement. With what little strength he had left, he pulled Nyx up so that his lips brushed against skin. Before he could even say a word, Nyx bit into him. Ignis couldn’t help but wince, but when he was ripped away soon after, he could see the tear tracks running down Nyx’s cheeks. The chair was back and Ignis was tied to it again while Nyx pulled at his own restraints. Astrid and the man left the room, leaving them alone for the moment, and Ignis was relieved to see Nyx again, although it was far from the conditions he would have wished for.</p><p>“What did they do to you?” Ignis asked, looking Nyx over as best he could.</p><p>Nyx looked away with defeat as he sat up. “They brought me blood. It was all they’d give me, and I refused. After a while that woman came and…” Nyx grit his teeth at the memory. “She tortured me. I tried to find out why, but she told me ‘it’s just to hurt him.’”</p><p>“I hate that you got pulled into this,” Ignis managed to say finally, tears falling down his face. “You don’t deserve this.”</p><p>“I’m the one who should be sorry,” Nyx choked out through gritted teeth. “As soon as I could smell your scent… I couldn’t…”</p><p>“Don’t be sorry for that,” Ignis reassured, “I wanted you to. You can’t die because of me.”</p><p>“You don’t understand,” Nyx continued, ignoring Ignis. “I don’t drink blood to survive. There was nothing intimate about what I just did. I was as bad as <em> them!” </em></p><p>“You’ll never be as bad as them. If you hadn’t drank my blood, then you would have <em> died </em>.”</p><p>“I don’t think you get it, Ignis. It’s an instinctive craving, once you go down this path blood becomes like a drug. It took so long to come clean, to only drink on occasion─”</p><p>“And I’ll help you get back on it,” Ignis promised. “As long as it takes.”</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ignis groaned, shaking his head to wake up. How long had he and Nyx been kidnapped? Days? Weeks? The lights were never turned off, and Ignis hadn’t seen a window since finding himself shoved into the trunk. His stomach cramped painfully, reminding him of the fact that he hadn’t eaten in a while. Since being shoved in the same room as Nyx, the food had completely stopped. Ignis didn’t think he’d ever miss a simple slice of plain bread so much.</p><p>“The Guard and Glaive will be here soon.” Ignis said aloud, wondering to himself whether it was meant to reassure himself or Nyx. “I know they will.”</p><p>Nyx was silent, simply looking at Ignis from where he sat.</p><p>“Maybe we can go back to that Galahdian restaurant where we had our first date?” Ignis continued, trying to distract from the hopelessness that clawed at him. “I really enjoyed that dance. Or perhaps we can go to this Tenebrae-themed place I know of? My parents are actually from there, so I visit sometimes to remember them.”</p><p>He was trying to bring Nyx’s spirits up. There was little he could do with both of them bound in different sides of the room, but he had to try. Nyx had shut down, barely looking or even <em> speaking </em> to him, no matter how hard Ignis tried. The few times he managed to get sleep, he would wake up to Nyx growling low, biting at his own hand until blood flowed freely. He never drank it, instead spitting it out with a twisted look on his face and hissing in pain as he turned his head toward the wall.</p><p>“Why do you hurt yourself if you don’t even drink your own blood?”</p><p>“We’re not exactly in a place I could jerk it to.” Nyx admitted with a derisive snort of laughter. “Cravings are also stronger when you drink blood, with human blood being the worst.”</p><p>A laugh coming from outside the door made Ignis stop short. His heart began to race as he recognized the voice. It was Astrid, and that meant that he was going to be in pain soon… What would she do today? Beat him? Break more bones? Whatever it was, Ignis knew he was soon to find out.</p><p>“Well today will certainly be fun.” came her voice as the door opened, her head turned to talk to someone behind her. She strode forward and grabbed a fistfull of Ignis’ hair and moved his head around. “Are you ready to talk to me?”</p><p>Astrid sighed at his silence before procuring a strip of cloth, immediately tying it tightly around his head. Ignis panicked again, unable to hold it back this time as his sight was taken away. He could hear dragging, along with Nyx’s voiced protests; almost immediately he could also hear the meaty sound of something striking flesh and he struggled against his restraints. What was happening to Nyx? What were they going to do this time?</p><p>When he refused to answer a question, there was a heavy thump afterward. What truly terrified him was when there became silence, and then─</p><p>Nyx’s screams cut through the quiet like a knife. This time there were no more questions, simply Nyx’s sudden cries of pain, and Ignis’ mind was left to imagine what they were doing to him. His heart hammered away in his chest as tears dampened the blindfold. What if he just gave up and told them what they wanted? Maybe they would stop hurting Nyx for something he should have never had to become involved in. Ignis doubted that either of them would leave alive, but at least Nyx would stop suffering. His blindfold was taken off then, allowing Ignis to see blood flowing from Nyx’s arms and face where a blade had left its mark. Astrid turned Ignis’ face to look at it before looking thoughtful.</p><p>“So close.” she mused, letting go. “However, I don’t want you broken just yet.”</p><p><em> Broken? </em> Ignis thought to himself with horror, realizing what was happening.</p><p>Astrid was playing with him. It was more than just getting information from him, she wanted to break him until she couldn’t anymore. With a look at her watch, Ignis heard her sigh as he let his head drop as tears fell freely from his eyes. It didn’t matter if he gave the answers to her questions, she would continue on until he was beyond any hope of repair. The only hope at this point was to spare Nyx the same pain. Ignis opened his mouth to speak when Astrid interrupted him.</p><p>“How about we make a deal?” she purred, crouching beside him as her hand smoothed out his shirt. “I’ll leave you and your little vampire lover alone, but only if you do a little something for me.”</p><p>“Anything.” Ignis replied, his voice breaking.</p><p>“Let me have a snack and I’ll go. Maybe I’ll even be kind enough to bring you something to eat.”</p><p>Ignis met Nyx’s eyes, he could see the silent plea to refuse her offer. What was going through his mind though? How far had Nyx already been pushed? Was he already past his limit? Ignis couldn’t let him continue this suffering just for him.</p><p>“Just stop hurting him.” Ignis whispered, looking away in shame.</p><p>Astrid stood, slowly pulling back his shirt until his shoulder was revealed. It would have hurt less if Nyx hadn’t also been in the room, watching as Ignis willingly let another drink from him. It felt dirty, like a betrayal to the bond that they had. Pain shot through him as Astrid bit harder, hands fisting into his shirt as she pulled him closer. Without thinking, Ignis pulled back to escape her grasp, only to succeed in Astrid’s teeth tearing at his skin. His thoughts were beginning to cloud. Nyx was saying something, but his focus was becoming as fogged as his mind. His eyelids drooped, shoulders going slack as he became unable to stop his head from tipping forward. Ignis vaguely felt his head be pulled back as Astrid’s face came into view, blood leaking from one corner of her lips as she lifted her wrist and bit down. Parting his lips easily, she pressed their mouths together and Ignis could feel something slide down his throat. His stomach immediately revolted, but he was too weak to do anything.</p><p>A cold sweat began to form on his skin and his breath became labored as Astrid pulled away. Ignis could hear his name being called, but all he could focus on was the roiling deep within his belly. His vision began to grow dark at the edges as he felt his lungs burn for air.</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>Ignis’ eyes flew open, lungs still burning for air as he gasped. Chains rattled ahead of him, causing him to look up and see Nyx still chained to the ceiling.</p><p>“Thank the gods you’re awake.” Nyx said, although whether it was to himself or Ignis was the question. “I thought she killed you.”</p><p>“Wh-what do you mean?” Ignis struggled to ask through a sudden wave of unbearable nausea.</p><p>“Ignis, you’re as pale as the Glacian herself.” Nyx told him. “You’ve been unconscious for a while.”</p><p>“Astrals, I feel so sick.” Ignis moaned.</p><p>As soon as the words left his mouth, he began to gag. Gummy saliva filled his mouth as his stomach began to revolt. His entire body felt hot, and his clothes stuck to him as he tried to shift in the seat. Nyx said something, but Ignis could only focus on the overwhelming amount of discomfort that was rapidly growing. His felt pins and needles across his body, as though he was going numb all over.</p><p>“She gave you her blood after…”</p><p>The sentence hung in the air, a reminder of what had happened between himself and Astrid.</p><p>“I couldn’t let them keep hurting you.” Ignis said, tears welling up in his eyes both from the pain and nausea in his gut, as well as from guilt. “You shouldn’t be here. Not because of me.”</p><p> Sweat had begun to bead at his skin, while his gut cramped painfully. Every muscle in his body felt as though it were contracting, hanging his head as he tried to grit his teeth through the pain of it. Nyx called his name, but Ignis knew that if he opened his mouth it would only result in a wordless sound of pain. The door opened then, and someone stepped in.</p><p>“Is this not a good time?” Astrid’s voice announced.</p><p>Ignis looked up, but his vision was slightly blurred from nausea and pain. He could smell food, causing him to begin gagging once again. Something about it disagreed with him before he even had a chance to eat it.</p><p>“What the hell did you do to him?” Nyx demanded.</p><p>Astrid laughed and traced Ignis’ neck, “I did as he asked. Although I may have mixed in something extra when I drank too much.”</p><p>Nyx struggled against his chains as Astrid’s laugh grew louder at Ignis’ refusal of the food. He was forced to hold his breath in an attempt to avoid the smell of the food, or to even taste it on his tongue when she offered the scraps to him.</p><p>“Well, if neither of you are going to eat,” Astrid paused, pulling the meager meal away, “then I’m going to take it back.”</p><p>With a mocking smile, she backed away, taking the food with her. As she opened the door Ignis could hear her mutter something, but he couldn’t make it out. All he knew was that he was in for a terrible time.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em> How long will this hell last? </em> Ignis thought to himself as his muscles began to seize again. The more time that had passed, the more pain he found himself enduring. Now there were no more moments of respite, only times where the pain was less compared to when it was excruciating. It was as though each nerve were on fire, his body breaking out into a sweat. He had long since lost any feeling of being able to breathe, causing him to gasp for air with each agonizing minute. Each time the pain would begin to subside, Ignis could hear Nyx say words of encouragement, though their specifics were lost.</p><p>“I’m scared.” Ignis whispered, barely able to focus as a wave of exhaustion washed over him. “I don’t know what’s happening.”</p><p>“Please, Igs, hang in there. That woman mixed your blood together before feeding it to you.” Nyx told him. “Whether she meant to drink that much or not, I wouldn’t have put it past her to try something like this.”</p><p>Ignis began to dry heave, the only thing coming up being enough stomach acid to burn his throat. Tears were falling down his face and his body went slack once the heaving ran its course.</p><p>“Something like this?” Ignis asked hoarsely, unable to even lift his head anymore.</p><p>“It’s how you turn people.” Nyx spat out with a mixture of anger and concern. “Most don’t survive the change because of what it does to your body. Baby, you gotta fight it. I can’t lose you like this.”</p><p>Ignis heard the break in Nyx’s voice, it felt so close to how he himself felt.</p><p>“I’m so tired.” Ignis admitted, feeling so close to defeat. “I just want it to stop.”</p><p>Out of nowhere, Ignis began shivering. It was like the room had gone from the center of Ifrit’s heart and dove straight into the bosom of Shiva. His teeth chattered as his body went numb, and his heart began to hammer away in his chest so loud that it deafened him. The room spun and Ignis was quite sure his stomach was going to make another attempt at making him sick.</p><p>This was the cycle. Ignis would get so hot he would sweat, then so cold that he would shake uncontrollably. All the while, his muscles would tense or seize, and his stomach would churn and anger until it made another attempt to relieve contents that weren’t there. He had no idea how long he endured, but slowly his resistance whittled away until it was a feeble thing. By that point Nyx’s voice sounded leagues away, and Ignis had turned into little more than a numb shell of his former self. Exhaustion and numbness left him feeling nothing beyond emptiness as he slumped forward listlessly. Closing his eyes in an attempt at rest, he recognized the sound of clanging metal, though it wasn’t enough for him to look for the source. By the time Ignis opened his eyes again, he realized that Nyx had scooped him up in his arms and was running. He still had a hard time focusing, however he knew one thing: Nyx had broken free and released himself from the confines of the chair, as well.</p><p>Ignis moaned weakly as he slowly began to take inventory of his body. It was nothing but aches and pains, and he still felt extremely sick. Nyx stopped, looking down a nearby hallway before darting around a corner and into a door. With Nyx’s back to the door, he sank to the floor which allowed Ignis to sit against him. He let out a low, quiet growl as he now-free hand rubbed his face. <em> He’s hungry. </em> Ignis thought to himself tiredly. He knew that he had to be a temptation for Nyx, but he had still taken him and run.</p><p>Shouts and scuffling of feet sounded from the other side of the door. The group had likely found out about their disappearance, which meant that the captors would be extra vigilant in their search.</p><p>“Keep moving.” Nyx muttered to himself, standing up and taking Ignis back into his arms.</p><p>“Leave me, I would only slow you down.” Ignis said against Nyx’s chest, too weak to even try and struggle against him.</p><p>“I don’t think you’d last long enough to be rescued if I did.” Nyx admitted,, pressing an ear to the door before slipping out and trying to navigate the maze of rooms. “Changing, whether or not it takes, leaves you too weak to do anything without care. Including eating, which they probably starved you as much as me.”</p><p>Running up a flight of stairs allowed the two to be bathed in light for the first time since their kidnapping, although the two had the misfortune to also be surrounded by more vampires. Before Nyx could back up, more of them appeared behind them. Ignis was ripped from Nyx’s arms and cast onto the floor where agony rippled through his body at the impact. He saw Nyx shoved down as well after a short fight, several vampires stood around kicking him mercilessly as Ignis watched, unable to move an inch.</p><p>Unexpectedly there were several a loud bangs, causing vampires around Nyx to drop lifelessly. People were rushing in like water through a broken damn, and, for the first time in ages, Ignis felt relief. He recognized the uniforms that were worn by the people flooding the room: Glaive, meaning that he and Nyx were saved. A familiar face, Cor, entered his vision.</p><p>“Can you stand?” he asked, checking Ignis over.</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“Masons, carry Scientia outside!”</p><p>“Wait, Nyx, he─” Ignis said in a strangled voice, looking at Nyx with concern, unable to even finish as he stared at his boyfriend’s unmoving body with fear.</p><p>“I got him. We’ll be right behind you.”</p><p>One car ride later, Ignis found that he and Nyx had been missing for about three weeks. There had been an attack on the prince at the same time─hence why there had been no response during his kidnapping─and it had landed Gladio in the hospital with severe wounds. There had been little to go off in regards to their disappearance, and some of the Council had been quick to point fingers at Nyx to place blame.</p><p>“If it hadn’t been for Noctis vouching for you both and then going to the king with evidence that cleared Nyx, we might not have found you two half as fast.” Cor told Ignis, the gates of Insomnia looming beyond the windows.</p><p>Three weeks. That was how long the seemingly never ending hell had lasted. Exhaustion and relief tugged him into unconsciousness as it registered that he was finally home.</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>Over the next several months, both Ignis and Nyx stayed at the hospital. Both taking evaluations in regards to their physical and mental wellbeing, giving accounts to the horrors they had endured, and then participating in therapies meant to help in the healing of both their bodies and minds. Many times Ignis would wake in a panic, triggering his heart monitor which only scared him further. He would see the white walls of his room and think he was back <em> there </em>, that he had never escaped and at any moment Astrid would waltz into the room to torture him more. By the time he had been released─separate from Nyx, who had been in much worse shape─Ignis was still fearful. The doctors had said that it was the PTSD, that his reactions were normal and, if anything, almost expected.</p><p>Noctis and Regis, on one visit to his room, had explained that he had been placed on an indefinite leave of absence. After something like that, the two didn’t expect him to return and refused to pressure him into it. Whether or not he came back to the Citadel, he was still considered family to the both of them and would be taken care of…</p><p>Ignis started out of the memory at the sound of a car horn blaring next to him, his heart trying to break out of his chest as panic set in. His brain screamed that something was closing in on him, that he was in danger and needed to run─</p><p>“I’m safe.” he tried to reassure himself in a shaky voice, backing away from the sidewalk as he collapsed into the grass. “Nobody is about to attack. It’s been months and the Glaive arrested everyone who had taken me.”</p><p>It wasn’t working. He could feel the overwhelming fear begin to set in, flowing through his veins like lightning as he desperately dug through his pocket. Normally he’d take his medication with something, but he unfortunately didn’t have the luxury this time around. Doing his best, Ignis swallowed a pill as he tried to repeat the mantra to himself like a light through the darkness. <em> I’m safe. Nobody is about to attack. I’m safe. Nobody is about to attack. I’m safe… </em></p><p>By the time it kicked in, Ignis was worn out. He had hoped to be able to take his walk without an episode, but obviously today would not be that day. Healing took time, and he wasn’t always the most patient of men. The good news was that Nyx was supposed to be released soon, meaning that he would again be able to sleep in the same bed as his boyfriend. He had missed the small things, holding each other in their arms or cuddling on a couch while watching tv. Their home had felt so empty without Nyx, even with Crowe still staying in the residence to watch over him as he transitioned back to whatever semblance of a normal life he could get.</p><p>When Ignis arrived back at the house, finding himself checking every door and window to make sure they were still locked before sitting down, he found that Crowe had left a note saying she would be back in a half hour. She left her cell phone number so that in case he needed her there was a way to call. One day Ignis hoped to be able to leave it all behind him, but for now it seemed a longs ways off.</p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Epilogue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>~~Three Years Later~~</p><p> </p><p>Ignis stretched at his desk, watching the sun set as his work day ended. He had returned to work two years ago, after it had been discovered that Hath, one of the members of the Council itself, had been behind the Citadel raid. He had refused to admit his guilt, insisting that it had been proof of how dangerous vampires were, but he had quickly been dismissed. Nyx no longer worked, but Ignis was fine with that. It meant that they could see each other sooner─that he wouldn’t have to wait until after Nyx’s café shifts for them to curl around each other at home.</p><p>After putting away his paperwork, Ignis headed to the elevator, stepping on as he waited for it to bring him to the ground floor with a giddiness that he hadn’t felt for a long time. He and Nyx had decided on having a special date that night when he got home, and he couldn’t wait. As soon as the elevator doors opened again, he all but bolted, walking as fast as he could down the hall. </p><p>This would be their first real date out of the house since the incident three years ago. They had tried many times over the years, but each fell through for various reasons. The previous time being that Nyx had panicked at the last minute when Ignis had gotten a rather large bruise from falling, the sight triggering him to relive the events of their kidnapping all over again. Once Ignis reached his car, he took a deep breath. Everything had already been planned and he’d been looking forward to this all week. It was going to be<em> perfect. </em></p><p>By the time he got home, Ignis found his boyfriend sleeping on the couch. He crouched beside Nyx, gently kissing his cheeks, his brow, his nose, and anywhere else he could get to. Slowly, Nyx’s eyes opened and a soft smile slipped onto his face.</p><p>“Welcome home.”</p><p>“Good to be home,” Ignis replied fondly. “Are you sure you still wish to do this today?”</p><p>Nyx nodded silently, sitting up to stretch, and as he did, Ignis made his way to their bedroom to change. A pair of khakis and a lavender button up were already hanging on the closet door and Ignis sighed in relief; Nyx must have chosen it for him while he was at work. Once he changed into the more casual clothes, he walked back into the living room, finding his boyfriend already putting on his shoes.</p><p>“Eager to go out, are we?” Ignis asked with a laugh.</p><p>“Yeah, I think today might be the day,” Nyx admitted as he watched Ignis put on his shoes.</p><p>Their first stop was to a nearby park. It was one of the few places when they had both returned that allowed them to find peace. It was normally empty at sunset, but a few stragglers still wandered about. Ignis and Nyx looked for the perfect section of grass before sitting down and watching the stars come out, pointing them out as they appeared. Once there were so many that the sky glittered with their light, the two set out to their next destination: the coffee shop where they had met. </p><p>Crowe smiled from behind the counter as she watched them walk up to the register. “You two finally managing to get out of the house, huh?” she teased lightly. She had known how hard Ignis and Nyx had found adjusting to life after they came back home.</p><p>“So far, but the night is still young,” Ignis replied, digging out his wallet from a pocket. “I think I’ll have a medium black coffee.”</p><p>“I’ll have the same,” Nyx added as Crowe took out a cup.</p><p>“Two boring coffees, got it.” She laughed as she rang them up and took Ignis’ money.</p><p>They found an empty table and settled down to wait.</p><p>“How’s work going?” Nyx asked.</p><p>“Slow,” Ignis answered, “but the Council has made good progress on laws and regulations for the vampire community. I knew it was going to be an uphill battle, but minds are changing more and more every day. Just the other day I received a paper on my desk about how we’re <em> ‘re-vamping’ </em>─”</p><p>Nyx groaned at the pun.</p><p>“I didn’t come up with that one, it was Gladio’s idea,” Ignis said with a chuckle, his smile tinged with pride at Gladio’s pun, “but we’re looking into establishing firm anti-discrimination laws, as well as starting to accept vampires into the Glaive.”</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“Yes, I actually think you would do well if you ever decided to enter the workforce again.”</p><p>Nyx was silent and Ignis watched him mull over the idea. He was finally sleeping through most of the night without nightmares, but he wouldn’t force the man he loved to endure anything more than he could take. No, this decision was Nyx’s and no one else could make it for him.</p><p>“Coffee’s ready,” Crowe called, setting the two cups out for them to take.</p><p>Nyx stood up to grab his coffee, but Ignis took his hand and quickly pulled him into a kiss. He wanted to convey everything he felt in his heart, the joy that he felt every time he saw Nyx’s face, the warmth that blossomed deep within him at the closeness they shared. Ignis grinned triumphantly when they parted and he saw the dusting of pink that shaded Nyx’s cheeks. They walked together to grab their coffees, Ignis talking a shaky sip as his heart began to hammer. He watched Nyx look confused at the lightness of his cup, while his attention was solely focused on the ring that he saw as he took off the lid and Ignis got down on one knee. Ignis knew the words on the cup, the very ones that he had scrawled there just like Nyx had done years ago, only these ones were slightly different.</p><p>
  <em> Marry Me, Cutie? </em>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I just want to say that this was an exciting moment to post this fic in all it's finished glory! I'd like to thank @khirimochi (twitter) for being such a wonderful friend and helping me by beta'ing this fic! Also I'd like to thank @zva_redink (twitter) for some AMAZING art! You can also find me on twitter @LadyofMilvania at any time!</p>
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